WEEHAUKEN, NJ – The Alfred University softball team split an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader at Stevens Sunday afternoon.
 
The Saxons (25-3) dropped the opener, 4-2, ending the team's school-record winning streak at 18 games. AU bounced back in the second game, winning 7-2 as the Saxons improved to 7-1 in conference play.
 
AU sophomore third baseman Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) blasted three solo homeruns in the second game, the second of which put Alfred ahead for good, at 3-2. Thompson's three homeruns ties the school single-game record set by Karen Folts in 2009. Senior first baseman-pitcher Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) hit a solo shot in the fourth, which gave her 12 on the year, a new school single-season record.
 
The Saxons led 1-0 after Thompson's homer in the first. Stevens tied the game with a run in the third before Wickwire's homerun restored the lead for AU in the fourth. Stevens again tied the game with a run in the bottom of the frame before AU pulled away with four in the sixth, then closed out the scoring with a run in the seventh.
 
Alfred freshman pitcher Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) improved to 8-0 on the season. Keeler scattered six hits, allowing two earned runs and striking out two to earn the complete-game win.
 
Thompson finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Junior second baseman  Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) hit  double and scored a run; junior catcher Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) and sophomore Sophia Chiavatti (Austin, CA/Foothills) each drove in a run; and junior shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) and freshman Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) each scored a run.
 
In the opener, Stevens took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and fourth. Alfred tied the contest with two in the top of the fifth, but Stevens answered with two in the bottom of the frame, then held on for the win.
 
Thompson was 2-for-4 with a run-scoring single and also scored once. Torchia had a hit and drove in a run and freshman outfielder Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) had a hit and scored a run.
 
Wickwire took the pitching loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and striking out seven to fall to 9-2 on the year.
 
Alfred returns to action next on Tuesday, April 21, for a 3 p.m. Empire 8 doubleheader at Nazareth. The Saxons travel to Rochester on Thursday for a 3 p.m. Empire 8 twinbill at St. John Fisher. With a 7-1 league record, Alfred leads second-place Ithaca (9-3 E8), who the Saxons have already swept. Fisher is in third in the conference standing (7-3) and Stevens is fourth (6-4).