ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team topped Utica College in both teams' Empire 8 openers and during the Saxons' Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Harrington Park. The Saxons picked up two extra-inning wins 6-5 and 8-7.
 
Sophomore Sophia Chiavatti (Austin, CA/Foothills) reached on an error by the Pioneers' (10-8, 0-2 Empire 8) shortstop, Alysa Russell, in the bottom of the eighth, which allowed freshman Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) to score from third to give the Saxons (16-2, 2-0 Empire 8) their first conference win of the season.
 
In the nightcap, bottom of the eighth again, Powers was the one to send the runner home for the winning run when she singled down the right field line with junior Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) on first and senior Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) on second. The line drive gave both base runners time to advance two bases, leading to the Wickwire score and capturing the sweep over Utica.
 
Wickwire belted out not one, not two, but three home runs on Saturday between the two games.  She got her first during game one in the bottom of the sixth that also scored sophomore Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) to bring the Saxons back from a 5-1 deficit to a 5-3 Utica lead.
 
She then sent her other two past the fence in left field in the second game. Her first went yard in the first inning, scoring both Thompson and junior Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Township) for an Alfred 3-0 lead. Wickwire then belted her third homer in the sixth inning off the Pioneer pitcher and younger sister, Alaina Wickwire.
 
The freshman responded to her older sister's home run with one of her own in the seventh inning, bringing the Pioneers back from a 5-7 trailing to tie the game after scoring Dominique Soto.
 
Chiavatti had two doubles for the Saxons on the day while Thompson posted one double and one triple.
 
In the pitching section of the game, the Saxon's Wickwire pitched all eight innings of the opening game. She gave up four earned runs while striking out six batters and walking only one. The win gives her a current record of 6-1.
 
Chiavatti pitched seven innings, giving up nine hits, seven runs (three earned) walking three batters and striking out five. Freshman Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) came in at the top of the eighth inning. She gave up no hits or runs and picked up the win, which makes her 4-0 on the season.
 
The Saxons will next host Ithaca College on Sunday, April 12 at 1:00 pm in an Empire 8 conference double header.