Box Score  
ITHACA, NY – The Alfred University softball team defeated Stevens, 6-2, Friday morning in the opening game of the Empire 8 Conference championship tournament at Ithaca College.
 
The Saxons, seeded third in the four-team double-elimination tournament, jumped to a 4-0 lead over the second-seeded Ducks after four-and-a-half innings. After Stevens cut its deficit in half with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, AU plated two insurance runs in the sixth to close out the scoring.
 
Alfred, which improved to 25-8 with the win, will take on top-seeded host team Ithaca, a 3-0 winner over fourth-seeded Utica in the other first-round game Friday.
 
Junior Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) turned in a solid pitching performance for AU, allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits while striking out six over seven innings. She also helped herself out at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
 
Alfred scored a run in the top of the first when sophomore outfielder Samantha Jauregui (Lindsay, CA/Lindsay) led off with a single and scored on a two-out single by sophomore shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy). The Saxons made it 2-0 with a run in the fourth. Maher singled, stole second and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Hannah Lawrence (Spencer, NY/Spencer-Van Etten), who would score on a Wickwire double.
 
Alfred tacked on two Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads). more in the fifth. Jauregui reached on an error and scored on a double by freshman third baseman A double by sophomore second baseman Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) scored Thompson to give AU a 4-0 advantage.
 
Stevens scored twice in the bottom of the frame, but Alfred answered right back with a pair in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Samantha Greenberg (Toms River, NJ/Toms River) singled with two outs and moved to second on a bunt single by junior Alyson Hampton (Oxnard, CA/Oxnard). Senior Stephanie Arguello (Placentia, CA/Vista del Lago) ran for Greenberg and scored on an error before Torchia singled to score Hampton and give Alfred the 6-2 lead.
 
Torchia finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs; Thomson was 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI; Jauregui scored twice; and Greenberg was 2-for-3.
 
Utica will play Stevens at 2 p.m. today, with the loser of that game eliminated. The winner of the Empire 8 tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. For a complete tournament schedule and live stats and video links, please visit the Championship Website.