KEUKA PARK, N.Y. -- The Elmira College softball team opened Empire 8 Conference play on Saturday against the conference's newest member, as the Soaring Eagles split a doubleheader against Keuka College.

After dropping the first game, 4-0, the Soaring Eagles (2-6, 1-1 Empire 8) completed a 7-4 comeback in the nightcap to salvage a split against the Wolves (1-1, 1-1 E8).

Keuka 4, Elmira 0
Ally Barr '21 took the loss in the opener, but the senior pitcher turned in a commendable effort in the pitcher's circle. The Pine City, New York, native threw a complete six-inning game, allowing only three hits with a season-high five strikeouts.

In the bottom of the third, however, the Wolves pounced on EC's defensive miscues. The middle infielders committed a trio of errors, allowing Keuka to score three of the game's four runs in the frame.

For as well as Barr pitched, Keuka's Whitney Tyler stole the show. The senior from Meshoppen, Pennsylvania, limited the Soaring Eagles to just two hits and struck out eight in a complete game.

Elmira 7, Keuka 4
Elmira scored the first three runs of the nightcap but needed a late rally to secure a 7-4 come-from-behind win.

Alex Brockhuizen '22 doubled and scored on a Keuka error in the top of the second to give EC an early 1-0 lead. In the third, Katie Distefano '24 hit an RBI double and scored on another error by the Wolves to make it 3-0 in favor of the Soaring Eagles.

Similar to the first half of Saturday's twin bill, Keuka put a crooked number on the scoreboard with a four-spot in the home half of the third. But the defense did an excellent job to limit the damage, getting the first out of the inning with a force at home plate with the bases loaded, followed by a double play turned by second baseman Kaitlyn Belmont '24 to halt the Keuka rally.

The Brockhuizen sisters helped the Purple and Gold regain the lead in the fifth. Felicity Brockhuizen '22 legged out an RBI triple to tie the game at 4-all before Alex Brockhuizen earned the go-ahead RBI with a sac fly in the following at-bat.

Another sac fly, this time off the bat of Mykenzie Malacusky '23, and a run-scoring hit from Distefano added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.

News and Notes

• The Soaring Eagles and Wolves competed for the first time as Empire 8 rivals on Saturday.
• Elmira earned its second win of the season and first Empire 8 victory in the nightcap.
• Distefano had a great day at the plate, hitting a combined .571 (4-for-7) with a double and a team-high two RBIs.
• Alex Brockhuizen finished with a .333 batting average (2-for-6) with a double.
• Felicity Brockhuizen and Alexis Dinga '22 each had one triple against Keuka.
• Paige Cring '21 also had multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Barr, who pitched in both games, earned the win with 5.0 shutout innings out of the bullpen in the second contest.
• Barr struck out eight without issuing a walk in 11.0 innings.

Up Next
On Saturday, April 10, Elmira will resume Empire 8 competition in Rochester, New York, with a doubleheader against Nazareth College. The first game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start.