HORSEHEADS, N.Y. – The Elmira College Softball was able to put together one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent program history on Tuesday afternoon, as the Soaring Eagles went on the sweep the visiting Pacers from Marywood University in its twin-bill. After taking game one 7-5 in which the Soaring Eagles also won in comeback fashion, the Purple & Gold would head into its final at-bats down 14-8 in game two, before a seven-run seventh, capped by a walk-off single from Jenna Burns '26, which also went down as her first career hit, secured the 15-14 win for Elmira.

In the pair of wins, Asia Curkendall '25 would record a pair of stolen bases, giving her 21 on the season which ties Jaime Bressler for the single-season record, which was set back in 1998. Additionally, Jillian Cortez '23 would set the single-season saves record (2), in addition to the career saves record (4), set in 1991 and 2013 with her third and fifth, respectively. 

On the day, Kaitlyn Belmont '24 finished 4-for-8 with a pair of RBI, while the Soaring Eagles used 28 hits in the pair of games, giving them 54 hits over its four-game win streak between Monday and Tuesday. 

GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 7, Marywood 5 (G1)
               Elmira 15, Marywood 14 (G2)
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (14-12, 3-3 Empire 8), Marywood (16-10, 5-3 AEC)
LOCATION: Elmira, New York | Holding Point Recreation Complex
W|L|S: M. Sobel (W, 8-5) | M. Hamm (L, 6-6) | J. Cortez (3)
            M. Sobel (W, 9-5) | T. Para (L, 0-1) | None

HOW IT HAPPENED:
GAME ONE:

• The first two innings would be quiet on the offensive front for both teams before the Pacers broke into the scoring column against Elmira starting pitcher Maryann Soble '25 in the third inning. After an infield error with one out, Sobel would retire the next batter before a two-out single from Brooke McKay allowed the Pacers to take an early lead. From there, Elmira would answer in the bottom of the frame, tying the contest after an RBI single from Curkendall, scoring Bella DeAmelia '24 who doubled the previous at-bat. 
• From there, Sobel would work around one hit from Marywood in the fourth, before the Soaring Eagles put up a six-spot in the bottom half of the inning. In the frame, EC recorded six hits, including a three-RBI double from Hannah Flagg '24, a two-RBI single from Curkendall, and an RBI single from Madison Brown-Bloom '23. 
• Leading 7-1, things would get testy for the Purple & Gold over the next two innings, as the Pacers were able to record a pair of runs in each of the innings against Sobel, trimming its deficit to 7-5. 
• Following the sixth, Jillian Cortez '23 was brought on in relief of Sobel, who finished going 6.0 innings where she allowed five runs (three earned), on nine hits, while walking one and striking out one. 
• Cortez would go on to pitch a perfect seventh inning, where she recorded two strikeouts and picked up her third save of the season. 
• Brown-Bloom and Curkendall would each record a pair of hits in the game, while Flagg and Curkendall each recorded a trio of RBIs. 

GAME TWO:

• Unlike game one, the offense for both teams would be quick out of the gate, as the Pacers went for four runs in the first against Elmira starting pitcher Jillian Cortez '23, before EC went for three in the bottom half of the inning. 
• After trailing 4-0, Elmira would score three runs on four hits in their first at-bats of the game, as Belmont, Amelia Martin '23, Cortez, and Katie Distefano '24 each recorded hits. Cortez and Distefano would each record RBI knocks in the frame, while Brown-Bloom grounded into a fielder's choice, which brought home a run. 
• Marywood would answer with four runs of its own to extend its lead to five in the top of the second, utilizing four hits and a Soaring Eagle error to its advantage and jump out to an 8-3 lead. 
• Following a clean third from both sides on the defensive end, Marywood would get the scoring started again in the fourth against Madison Lodowski '26, who came on in relief of Cortez. In the frame, the Pacers used two runs on two hits, increasing its lead to 10-3. 
• The Soaring Eagles would fight right back, trimming its deficit to just a pair after a five-run inning which featured six hits including RBI hits from Arian Wilcox '25, Curkendall, and Belmont. EC scored its other two runs on a sac fly from Cortez, and a wild pitch which brought home Martin. 
• Following the fourth, Cortez was brought back on to pitch, as Lodowski concluded her day going an inning where she allowed two runs (both earned) on two hits, while allowing a walk. 
• After a scoreless fifth for both teams, Marywood would score three in the sixth against Cortez, increasing its lead once again to 13-8. Elmira would be set down in the sixth, before Cortez was lifted from the contest once again. Following the inning, Cortez's final line would be 5.0 innings pitched, where she allowed 11 runs (6 earned), on 10 hits, while walking four and striking out two. 
• Sobel would come on to pitch the seventh, where she allowed one run as the Pacers extended its lead to 14-8. 
• In a wild bottom of the seventh, Elmira would plate seven runs on six hits, which included seven of the first eight batters in the inning reaching base safely, with five hits sprinkled between. After a two-RBI double from Martin helped Elmira tie the game at 14-14, a groundout followed by Burns, who led off the inning, would ensue. With Martin on third, Burns would stripe a ball up the middle, past the outstretched glove of the Pacers second baseman, bringing home the game-winning run which would go down as the first hit in Burn's career.
• In the frame, Burns, Martin, Belmont, DeAmelia, and Sobel would each record RBI hits. 

UP NEXT:
Weather pending, the Soaring Eagles will return to the field on Saturday at Nazareth. Elmira, who is originally scheduled to take on Alfred University at home on Sunday, are currently looking at options to move the game up due to incoming weather. For more information regarding up-to-date schedule changes, please visit athletics.elmira.edu.