HOUGHTON, N.Y. – The Elmira College Softball team returned to the win column on Wednesday afternoon after splitting the day with the Highlanders from Houghton College. After dropping the first game 8-2, the Soaring Eagles were able to take the nightcap 10-1 after 14 hits which saw Kaitlyn Belmont '24, Alex Brockhuizen '22, Felicity Brockhuizen '22, Jillian Cortez '23, and Amelia Martin '23 each record multi-hit days.
After Cortez got the start, allowing just one run on one hit over three innings of work, Ally Barr '21 came on to pitch the final four innings of no-run, two-hit ball. The Highlanders' lone run came on a first-inning home run before the Purple & Gold tallied off 10 straight for the victory.
GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 2, Hilbert 8 (Game One)
Elmira 10, Hilbert 1 (Game Two)
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (5-7, 0-2 E8), Fisher (14-11, 2-2 E8)
LOCATION: Houghton, New York | Softball Complex
W|L|S: MaryAnn Sobel '25 (1-2) | Kayla Loomis (8-10) | None (Game One)
Jillian Cortez '23 (2-4) | Alisabeth Crandall (2-1) | None (Game Two)
KEY MOMENT:
In game one, the Highlanders used a six-run bottom half of the first inning after sending ten to the plate and recording five hits against Elmira starter Sobel.
In game two, the Soaring Eagles scored ten unanswered runs after a first inning home run from the Highlanders. Elmira used four-run innings in the fourth and seventh innings while recording six hits in the fourth. After three innings of one-run ball for Cortez, Barr came on in relief for the final four innings where she walked none and allowed just two hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Highlanders wasted little time cracking the scoreboard in the first inning of game one after getting to Sobel early for six runs in the frame. Down early, the Soaring Eagles would score two runs in the top half of the second inning after the first four batters of the inning reached safely. Following a leadoff walk from Madison Brown-Bloom '23, Cortez would single to put a pair of runners on to begin the frame. An error allowed the Soaring Eagles to score its first run of the ball game before Bella DeAmelia '24 walked to load the bases. From there, another defensive blunder by Houghton allowed EC to score its second unearned run of the inning to bring the score to 6-2.
From there, it was all Houghton who went on to hold the Soaring Eagles scoreless over the final five innings of play. Kayla Loomis would go on to throw a complete game, allowing two runs (no earned) on five hits while allowing three walks. The Highlanders would score its final pair of runs in the 6th after Hannah Haskell and Lydia Peterson recorded a single and RBI groundout, respectively.
The Soaring Eagles were able to turn the offense around in game two of the doubleheader, while Cortez and Barr held the Highlander offense to just a trio of hits over seven innings of work. After Haskell homered for the Highlanders to open the scoring in the bottom of the first, the Soaring Eagles went on to score ten unanswered runs over the final four innings of work on its way to a 10-1 victory.
In the fourth, the Soaring Eagles scored four runs on six hits after Cortez doubled to centerfield to begin the inning. From there, the next five Soaring Eagles would reach base safely which included four hits and an error, increasing the EC lead to 4-1. After a scoreless 5th inning, Elmira would be back to work after a sacrifice fly from Martin and an RBI double for Brown-Bloom which increased the lead to 6-1.
The Soaring Eagles would add four additional runs in the seventh inning after Felicity Brockhuizen, Belmont, DeAmelia, and Martin each brought home runs for Elmira to secure a 10-1 victory.
Belmont finished the day with four hits for the Soaring Eagles to increase her batting average to .387. It was her third multi-hit game in her last four contests.
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles will return to the field on Friday against SUNY Delhi in its home-opener at the Holding Point Recreation Complex. First pitch in the doubleheader is set for 3:00 PM.
