Play of the Week

ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team was swept in an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader by visiting Ithaca College Wednesday afternoon at Harrington Field.

The Saxons (13-11) lost the opener, 14-5, and dropped the nightcap, 9-1 in six innings, to fall to 5-3 in Empire 8 play. The Bombers, who came into the day tied with AU atop the league standings, improve to 14-6 overall, 7-1 in league play.

AU scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead in the opener. Senior third baseman Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) and sophomore Dominique D'Andrea (Waterford, NJ/St. Joseph) singled and came in to score on a triple by junior shortstop Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech). One out later, senior first baseman Sophia Chiavatti (Tustin, CA/Foothill) singled to plate Powers.

The Saxons' lead was short-lived, as the Bombers sent nine batters to the plate in the third and scored four times to take a 4-3 lead. AU reclaimed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning. First-year second baseman Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) singled in Powers and Chiavatti scored on an RBI single by sophomore centerfielder Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown).

That's all the runs the Saxons would get, as Ithaca scored four in the fourth to take the lead for good, then tacked on three in the sixth and three more in the seventh.

Thompson was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. It was the 54^th steal in her career, breaking the tie for the school's all-time record. She came into the game sharing the career steals mark with Alyson Hampton (2012-15). Powers scored twice and drove in a pair of runs and D'Andrea was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Junior pitcher Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) started for AU and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and striking out three to fall to 3-6. Murray went the final 3 1/3 innings and gave up six earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts.

After two scoreless innings to start the second game, Ithaca scored twice in the third before AU cut its deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the frame. Alexander singled leading off the innings and scored on a double by sophomore leftfielder Amanda Shaffer (Sandyston, NJ/Kittattinny Regional). Ithaca scored a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to go up 5-1, then plated four in the sixth to go up 9-1.

Alexander was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Shaffer and D'Andrea each hit doubles for the Saxons.

Junior pitcher Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) took the loss for the Saxons to fall to 4-4 on the season. She allowed five runs (four earned) on 11 hits over five innings, striking out two. D'Andrea went one-third inning in relief and allowed three runs on four hits. First-year pitcher Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) finished up, tossing two-thirds of an inning and allowing a run on two hits.

Alfred is in action next on Friday, April 15, when the Saxons play a 3 p.m. Empire 8 doubleheader at Nazareth College.