CLERMONT, FL – The Alfred University softball team played two games Tuesday morning on the third day of the Saxons' Spring Break trip to Florida. The Saxons defeated Immaculata, 5-1, rebounding from an earlier 5-4 nine-inning loss to the College of St. Benedict.

Against Immaculata, AU (3-3) got all the scoring it needed with five first-inning runs. After giving back a run in the bottom of the frame, the Saxons cruised, shutting the Mighty Macs down the rest of the way.

All of the Saxons' scoring came by home run. Senior third baseman Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) led off with a solo homer (her third round-tripper in six games) and two batters later junior shortstop Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) belted a two-run shot. With two outs, sophomore catcher Lea Georgatos (Emerson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) capped the scoring with a two-run blast of her own.

Sophomore Dominque D'Andrea (Waterford, NJ/St. Joseph) went 2-for-3 with a run scored; senior outfielder Brooke Hockeborn (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) singled and scored a run; and sophomore first baseman Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) hit a double in three at-bats for the Saxons.

Junior pitcher Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, N/Westfield) started and went five innings, allowing an unearned run on eight hits and striking out five to improve to 1-1 on the year. First-year Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) earned the save, coming on to start the sixth and tossing two scoreless innings.


In the day's opening game, the Saxons rallied twice against St. Benedict before the Blazers won it with a two-run homerun in the top of the ninth.

After St. Benedict scored unearned runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Saxons, AU rallied to tie the gamer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore outfielder Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) walked with one out and Thompson doubled to put runners on second and third. Hockeborn singled to score Alexander and Thompson scored the tying run when D'Andrea reached on an error.

The game remained tied until the eighth inning, when St. Benedict scored an unearned run. The Saxons answered right back in the bottom of the frame. Hockeborn was placed on second and advanced to third on a groundout before sophomore Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) singled with two outs to drive in Hockeborn with the tying run.

After St. Benedict took a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth, the Saxons attempted to rally but came up just short. Schaefer was placed on second base and advanced to third on a groundout. After Alexander walked, Thompson reached on a fielder's choice, with Schaefer scoring to make it 5-4. With the tying run on first, Hockeborn grounded out to end the game.

Hockeborn (2-for-5, run scored), Thompson (1-for-5, run scored), D'Andrea and Krawczyk each drove in a run for the Saxons, while Alexander had a hit, walked twice and scored a run.

Junior pitcher Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) went the distance for the Saxons, allowing five runs (four unearned) on eight hits and striking out four.
           
AU returns to action with a pair of games Wednesday (March 8): at 9 a.m. against Mount Ida College and 11:30 against Monmouth College.