HOUGHTON, N.Y. – The Elmira College Softball team was able to bounce back in a big way on Wednesday afternoon, picking up a pair of Empire 8 victories on the road to improve its conference record to .500 after sweeping the Highlanders from Houghton University. The Soaring Eagles, who received a complete game shutout from Maryann Sobel '25 in game one, received four innings of one-hit ball from Jillian Cortez '23 in game two, as Sobel, Cortez, and Madison Lodowski '26 held the Highlanders to just ten hits and two runs on the afternoon. 

On the offensive side, Elmira would power for 19 hits on the afternoon, paced by Madison Brown-Bloom '23, Arian Wilcox '25, and Kaitlyn Belmont '23 with three hits a piece, while Brown-Bloom and Belmont each drove in three runs a piece.

GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 5, Houghton 0 (G1)
              Elmira 7, Houghton 2 (G2)
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (16-14, 5-5 Empire 8), Houghton (7-26, 1-11 Empire 8)
LOCATION: Houghton, New York | Houghton Softball Field
W|L|S: M. Sobel (W, 10-7) | K. Loomis  (L, 5-13) | None
            J. Cortez (W, 3-1) | J. Burrows  (L, 0-9) | None

HOW IT HAPPENED:
GAME ONE:

• The Soaring Eagles were quick on offense to give starting pitcher Maryann Sobel '25 some early breathing room, as the Purple & Gold went for a pair of first-inning runs, and four in total over the first three innings of play. 
• In the top of the first, Kaitlyn Belmont '24 would work a leadoff walk before an executed sacrifice bunt from Asia Curkendall '25 put a runner in scoring position with one away. From there, Amelia Martin '23 would reach base, moving to second on an infield error which left Madison Brown-Bloom '23 with a pair in scoring position. The senior outfielder would deliver, connecting for her third double of the season, which brought home a pair and put EC ahead 2-0 in the early going. 
• From there, Elmira would plate another run in the second in its first two at bats as Bella DeAmelia '24 doubled to open the frame, before Hannah Flagg '24 singled home DeAmelia just a batter later to increase the EC lead to 3-0. Flagg, who is coming off a stellar week, has connected for eight hits in her last 16 at-bats. 
• The Soaring Eagle offense would be at it once again in the third, plating another run to increase its lead to 4-0 after doubles from Martin and Katie Distefano '24 (RBI), allowing Sobel to receive more run support early on. 
• In the top of the sixth, the Soaring Eagles worked a two-out run after Belmont singled home DeAmelia, who walked to leadoff the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch. 
• In the bottom of the seventh, the Highlanders would work a pair of hits to put runners on the corners with one out, but a line drive which turned into a double play ended the contest and sent EC away with a 5-0 victory in game one. 
• Sobel would work efficiently and effectively, pitching a complete game shutout, where she allowed just five  hits over 7.0 innings of work, while walking three, striking out three, and working ten outs via the ground ball. 

GAME TWO:

• The Soaring Eagles would get much of the same from Madison Lodowski '26 in the circle in game two that it got from Sobel in game one. The first-year would allow just one hit over the first 2.0 innings of work, where she retired three batters each via the flyout and groundout, while allowing just one hit. 
• After a scoreless first two innings on both sides, the Soaring Eagles would plate a trio of runs in the top of the third, using five hits and a Highlander error to its advantage. 
• After Arian Wilcox '25 doubled to leadoff the frame, a double from Curkendall would bring home Wilcox for the games' opening run before a costly infield error with Belmont at the plate allowed for Curkendall to score. From there, the Soaring Eagles would receive three straight singles from Martin, Brown-Bloom, and Jillian Cortez '23, with the last run of the inning coming on the single to shortstop from Cortez to put EC ahead 3-0. 
• The Highlanders would answer back in the bottom of the third, plating its lone two runs of the game against Lodowski. In the inning, the home squad went for three hits, including an RBI double and a groundout for an RBI. Lodowski's afternoon would come to a close after 3.0 innings of work where she allowed just a pair of runs (both earned) on four hits, while striking out one. 
• In the top of the fourth, the Soaring Eagles would power for another three runs, using an two-RBI double from Belmont which scored Wilcox and Natalie Tom '25, and an RBI groundout from Martin to extend its lead to 6-2. 
• Cortez would come on in relief of Lodowski, and go the final 4.0 innings where she allowed just one hit and a walk, while striking out five Highlanders. 
• The Soaring Eagles would pick up its final run of the afternoon to cap a 7-2 victory with an RBI single from Brown-Bloom, scoring Curkendall. 
• For the game, Curkendall, Belmont, Brown-Bloom, Cortez, and Wilcox would each record a pair of hits for the Purple & Gold. 

UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles are set to return to the field tomorrow afternoon when hosting St. John Fisher University for another Empire 8 Conference doubleheader at the Holding Point Recreation Complex. First pitch is set for 3:30 PM as the Soaring Eagles honor the Class of 2023 on Senior Day, which includes Jillian Cortez '23, Amelia Martin '23, and Madison Brown-Bloom '23.