BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Elmira College Softball team dropped both ends of its Tuesday afternoon matchup with the Mavericks from Medaille College, losing the matinee matchup 6-5 before a three-run bottom of the seventh in game two sent the Mavericks home with a 7-6 victory. 

After carrying a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh in game one, the Mavericks took advantage of a pair of Soaring Eagle errors to walk it off. In game two, Medaille used a three-run seventh inning to send the home team away with a pair of wins. 

Madison Brown-Bloom '23 led the offense for the Soaring Eagles with three hits on the day. 

GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 5, Medaille 6 (Game One)
               Elmira 6, Medaille 7 (Game Two)
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (0-4, 0-0 E8), Medaille (11-1, 0-0 AMCC)
LOCATION: Buffalo, New York | Medaille Athletic Complex
W|L|S: Jillian Cortez '23 (0-2) | Kaitlyn Alguire (4-1) | None (Game One)
            Jillian Cortez (0-3) | Kaitlyn Alguire (5-1) | None (Game Two)

KEY MOMENT:
Ameila Martin '23 singled through the left side which brought home Katie Distefano '24 in the top of the 4th inning to increase Elmira's lead to 5-3 in game one. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mavericks took advantage of a pair of Soaring Eagle errors and two hits to walk off the game, 6-5. 

Elmira broke a 4-4 tie in the top half of the 6th inning in game two after scoring a pair of runs on two hits, while the Mavericks made two errors. In the bottom of the seventh, it was the Mavericks who once again would walk away with a walk-off win after scoring three runs on five hits to take the win, 7-6. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
MaryAnn Sobel '25 got the start in game one and went two innings of scoreless ball before Elmira broke the 0-0 tie in the top half of the third. After Cortez lined out to begin the inning, Hannah Flagg '24 was able to single back up the middle to put a runner on base for the Purple & Gold. From there, Distefano would reach on an error to put runners on the corners with just one away. Alex Brockhuizen '22 would then reach on a fielders choice which saw Flagg score, giving Elmira a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs, Kaitlyn Belmont '24 drew a walk to bring home another run before Alexis Dinga '22 brought home the final runs of the inning after an error by Maverick third basemen Sidney Cooper. 

Leading 4-0, Sobel would be tabbed for a trio of runs in the third inning after the Mavericks produced three hits while scoring an unearned run on a Soaring Eagle error. The Soaring Eagles jumped out to a 5-3 lead in the top of the 4th after Martin singled through the left side which brought home Distefano. After recording an out in the 4th inning, Sobel would be lifted in replace of Cortez. Medaille would go on to score a run in the inning after another Soaring Eagle error brought home an unearned run for the Mavericks, who cut the EC lead to 5-4. 

The game would remain quiet on the offensive side for both teams until the Mavericks used a come-from-behind effort in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure victory. After the leadoff batter reached base on an Elmira error, Sarah Hapeman came around to score the Mavericks third unearned run of the ball game to knot the score at 5-5. With two away, Gabrielle Presutti would walk it off for the Mavericks with an RBI single to cap the game at 6-5.

In game two, the Soaring Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first after Brown-Bloom singled home Distefano. The Mavericks would retake the lead at 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning after sending nine to the plate. The Mavericks were able to muster up just one hit against Cortez in the inning with the addition of four walks, while the leadoff batter reached base via an error from the Soaring Eagles. 

Trailing 4-1, the Purple & Gold answered the call in the top of the 4th, scoring three runs to tie the score. After Kaitlyn Belmont '24 walked to open the inning, Dinga followed suit with a walk of her own to put a pair of runners on for Elmira. From there, Cortez would reach base on an error that brought home Belmont. From there, a single from Bella DeAmelia '24 (one of her two hits in game two), brought home a pair of runs with two outs. 

After a quiet 5th inning, Elmira would break the tie in the top half of the 6th inning after scoring a pair of runs on two hits, while the Mavericks made two errors. 

After Cortez singled with one out, Flagg would put runners on second and third after a double to left centerfield. After Distefano walked to load the bases, Barbara Guinto '23, who pinch ran for Cortez would come around to score on an error by Maverick pitcher Kaitlyn Alguire to break the tie. From there, the Soaring Eagles would score its second unearned run of the inning after Martin reached on an error, which brought home Flagg. In the bottom of the seventh, it was the Mavericks who used a two-out rally, scoring three runs on five hits to take the win, 7-6. 

UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles return to the field on Friday afternoon when they take on the Wildcats from Cazenovia in its home-opener at the Holding Point Recreation Complex (Field #5).