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ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team swept visiting Penn College in a non-conference doubleheader at Harrington Field Tuesday afternoon.
 
In the first game, AU junior third baseman Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) drove in six runs, the last four on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Saxons claimed a 12-2 win. In the second game, AU claimed another abbreviated win, scoring three times in the sixth to win 8-0.  With the sweep, AU stopped a five-game losing streak, and improved to 16-10 on the season.
 
In the opener, Penn College took an early lead with a run in the second before AU responded with four in the third. Senior outfielder Nora Passuite (Lockport, NY/Lockport) and senior catcher Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) started the frame with singles and were driven home on a Thompson double to right. Senior second baseman Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) hit a sacrifice fly to score Thompson and senior outfielder Samantha Jauregui (Lindsay, CA/Lindsay) scored on a wild pitch.
 
After Penn College scored a run in the fourth to make it 4-2, Alfred tallied four in the bottom of the frame to take a commanding 8-2 lead. Freshman outfielder Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) singled to lead off the inning before Passuite and Thompson walked to load the bases. After Alexander scored on a wild pitch, senior shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) doubled to scored Passuite and Thompson. Freshman Amanda Shaffer (Sandyston, NJ/Kittattiny Regional) singled to score Maher.

Maher's double was the 40th of her career, a new school record. She came into the game tied with Alison Wickwire (2012-15) for the career doubles mark (39).
 
In the bottom of the fifth, AU loaded the bases with no outs. Alexander singled leading off before Passuite singled and Picini walked. Thompson then blasted a line shot over the left field fence to put AU up 12-2 and end the game by eight-run rule.
 
Thompson was 2-for-3 with six RBIs and three runs. Shaffer, Alexander (two runs) and Passuite (three runs) each had two hits, while Picini scored twice.
 
Sophomore pitcher Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) earned the win to improve to 6-6. She allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out three in five innings.
 
In the nightcap, AU scored two runs in each of the first two innings to take an early 4-0 lead. In the first, Thompson walked and stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch. Maher and Powers walked and Maher scored when freshman catcher Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca) reached on an error while attempting to sacrifice.
 
In the second, Thompson walked and Jauregui singled, with each advancing a base on a double steal before scoring on a double to right-center off the bat of sophomore second base Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech).
 
Alfred scored a run in the fifth when Powers and Picini singled and junior Brooke Hockeborn (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) singled Powers home. AU won it by taking an 8-0 lead with three runs in the sixth. Powers doubled home freshman Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) and Maher with a double, then scored the winning on a Krwczyk single.
 
Sophomore Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) earned the pitching win, allowing three hits and striking out seven over  five scoreless innings to improve to 8-4. Freshman Dominique D'Andrea (Waterford, NJ/St. Joseph) tossed one scoreless inning, allowing no hits.
 
Powers finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and four driven in for the Saxons, while Thompson and Maher each scored twice.
 
AU returns to action Wednesday, April 20, for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Medaille.