UTICA, N.Y. – A roller coaster of emotions would hit the Elmira College softball program on Monday, as the Soaring Eagles clinched a spot in the 2025 Empire 8 Conference Softball Tournament. EC clinched its spot following a 10-1 victory in game two against the SUNY Poly Wildcats. The Wildcats tossed a no-hitter in game one to go along with a 2-0 win.
GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE (G1): Elmira 0, SUNY Poly 2
SCORE (G2): Elmira 10, SUNY Poly 1
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (11-21-1, 8-11 Empire 8), SUNY Poly (18-10, 12-5 Empire 8)
LOCATION: Utica, New York | Wildcat Softball Field
W|L|S (G1): T. Critelli (W, 10-6), M. Sobel (L, 5-7)
W|L|S (G2): A. Mienaltowski (W, 6-5), T. Critelli (L, 10-7)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elmira would get a base runner in the third inning of game one, as Kristen Cole worked a walk and would eventually advance to third with two outs. The Soaring Eagles were unable to score Cole after a strikeout ended the frame.
- Maryann Sobel worked around a pair of jams in the circle for the Soaring Eagles, as Poly stranded a pair of runners on base in the second inning and two more in the fifth inning.
- The Wildcats would break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runs.
- Sobel finished the game with three strikeouts and six hits allowed through six innings of work for Elmira. Sobel allowed just two extra-base hits while inducing nine groundouts and six flyouts.
- Elmira got things going quickly in game two, as the Soaring Eagles scored two runs in the first inning. Brianna Ramstine doubled to score Ashlyn VanFleet and make it 1-0, while Hannah Colwill worked a walk with the bases loaded to make it 2-0.
- Katie Distefano made it 3-0 for Elmira with a double in the second inning to score Ramstine.
- Colwill pushed the lead to 4-0 with a double in the fifth inning, and was followed by a single from Riley Storrs to make it 5-0.
- The Wildcats tallied their lone run of the contest in the fifth inning against Elmira starter Allie Mienaltowski.
- Cole and Ramstine added run-scoring singles in the sixth inning for Elmira to extend the lead to 7-1. EC tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning, as Sophia Temple highlighted the frame with a double to score Jordyn Frantz.
- Mienaltowski tossed her third complete game of the season for the Soaring Eagles as she improved to 6-5.
- Ramstine and Rachel Lunger both finished the game with four hits, while Elmira recorded five doubles as a team.
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles wrap up the regular season at home against SUNY Geneseo on Wednesday, April 30, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The first round of the Empire 8 Softball Tournament will be held on Tuesday, May 6.