HAMBURG, NY – The Alfred University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from host Hilbert College Monday afternoon. The Saxons (22-10) won the opener, 9-1, and took the nightcap, 11-4, to run their winning streak to eight games.
 
In the opener, AU scored three runs in the third and four in the fourth to break open a close game that was tied at 1-1 after two innings.
 
Sophomore shortstop Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) and junior first baseman Sophia Chiavatti (Tustin, CA/Foothill) opened the third with singles, with Powers coming home and Chiavatti advancing to third on a double by senior catcher Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac). Freshman outfielder Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) singled home Chiavatti and Picini scored on an outfield error.
 
AU sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth, benefitting from four Hilbert errors to score four runs. Senior outfielder Samantha Jauregui (Lindsay, CA/Lindsay) opened the inning with a single and advanced to second when senior second baseman Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) reached on a fielder's choice. Chiavatti singled to bring home Jauregui and, after a flyout and stolen base put runners on second and third with two outs, senior outfielder Nora Passuite (Lockport, NY/Lockport) singled to score Torchia and Chiavatti. Junior third baseman Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) later walked with the bases loaded to plate Passuite with the final run of the inning.
 
Torchia scored on a Chiavatti single in the opening inning for the Saxons' first run. Freshman Lea Georgatos (Emerson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) singled home Powers in the seventh to close out the game's scoring.
 
Sophomore pitcher Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) earned complete game win, allowing an unearned run on five hits and striking out 10 to improve to 11-4. Chiavatti was 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs and Passuite was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored to pace the Saxon bats. Alexander was 2-for-3 with two RBIs; freshman Lea Georgatos (Emerson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) had two hits in two at-bats and drove in a run; and Torchia and Powers each scored twice.
 
In the second game, freshman outfielder Amanda Shaffer (Sandyston, NJ/Kittattiny Regional) blasted a first-inning grand slam and finished with five RBIs as the Saxons overcame an early Hilbert rally to pull away late.
 
AU took the early lead when junior Brooke Hockeborn (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) singled with one out in the first, senior shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) walked and Powers singled to load the bases with two outs. Shaffer followed with a home run, the first of her collegiate career, to get the Saxons on the board.
 
Hilbert got a run back in the bottom of the first, and tied it at 4-4 with three runs in the third. AU took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fourth. Shaffer walked and junior outfielder Hannah Lawrence (Spencer, NY/Spencer-Van Etten) singled. After a double-steal, both runners came home when senior first baseman Julie Canova (Maspeth, NY/Mary Louis Academy) reached on an error.
 
The Saxons put the game away with five runs in the seventh, sending 10 batters to the plate in the final frame. Freshman catcher Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) hit a bases-loaded double to bring in two runs. Shaffer and Alexander each drove in a run before Shaffer finished the scoring by stealing home.
 
Shaffer was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and five driven in. Krawczyk and Canova each drove in two and Maher scored twice. Chiavatti earned with pitching win in relief of sophomore starter Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt), who allowed an earned run on one hit in an inning of work. Chiavatti went five innings, allowing three unearned runs on three hits and striking out six to improve to 2-0. Schaefer mopped up with an inning of hitless relief, striking out one.
 
AU returns to action Wednesday, April 27, for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader against visiting Oswego State.