KISSIMMEE, FL – The Alfred University softball team split on Day Four of its 2018 Spring Break Training trip with a 2-1, eight-inning loss to Emerson College and a 7-1 win over Muhlenberg College on Thursday.

"I thought that after a day off, we would come out and play rejuvenated. But we were flat and did not take advantage of a very good pitching performance by Jess [Wilcox] in game one," Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "We made some adjustments in game two and got behind a solid pitching performance from Shannon [Schaefer] and we were able to execute our game plan and take advantage of some Muhlenberg miscues. I was pleased with the adjustments they made and hope that can continue for the rest of the trip."

Game One

The Saxons (5-3, 0-0 Empire 8) had a slow start with their bats as well as the Lions of Emerson. Neither team sent a runner home until the fifth inning when Emerson got on the board with a home run down the right field line in the bottom of the inning.

Alfred University responded the next inning when Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach Union) hit a single up the middle of the field, to load the bases with Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) on third and Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) on second. The next AU batter was Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) who reached first on an error by the shortstop, allowing each batter to advance a base and sending Staub home for the unearned run.

Both teams battled back-and-forth until after seven innings. Emerson scored the walk-off run as their placed runner was advanced to a third on a fly-out to center field and then got home on a throwing error, ending the game, 2-1.

Ceja led the Saxon's offense, going 3-for-4 with a double. Desiree Luquin (Chula Vista, CA/Otay Ranch) and Schaefer were both 2-for-4 as Luquin hit her first collegiate double.

Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) pitched 7.1 innings with eight strikeouts, six hits and one earned run. She only walked one batter on the day as she moves to 2-2 on the season.

Game Two

Alfred University ended its three-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over Muhlenberg College, tallying three runs in the first inning and four in the fourth before giving up one run in the seventh inning. Schaefer earned the win in the circle with four strikeouts and four hits while only walking one batter. She gave up no runs. Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) came in for relief in the seventh inning, giving up four hits and one earned run while striking out one batter.

Luquin had two doubles, two RBI's and two runs to lead the Saxon batters. Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) also had two RBI's while Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) and Ceja each crossed home plate twice. Saucedo was 2-for-3. Other Alfred University players to register an RBI were Ceja, Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/Wester Seneca West) and Trisha Whaley (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) while Schaefer joined those who stepped on home to score a run.

The Saxons will next play Montclair State University at 11:15am on Friday, March 9 and then John Carroll University afterwards at 1:30pm.