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ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team (14-6, 2-0 Empire 8) continued to roll to its sixth and seventh consecutive wins, sweeping nonconference opponent Lycoming College at home on Tuesday.
 
The Saxons allowed zero earned runs over the course of two games, defeating the Warriors 7-0 in the first game and 9-1 (six innings) in the second game. Senior Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) lit up batter's box during the doubleheader, going 7-for-8 combined, including one homerun and three RBI's.
 
Sophomore Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) threw a one-hitter during the first game, shutting out Lycoming and racking up 10 strikeouts. The performance was only two strikeouts short of tying the AU record (12) held by Liz DeFranco (1994 vs. Nyack), Brittany Curran (2005 vs. Simmons) and Chelsey Cary (2010 vs. D'Youville). Senior Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) threw another gem in the second game, going the distance and allowing only one unearned run.
 
Game One
 
Powers wasted no time getting her afternoon started, hitting a bomb in the bottom of the first inning with junior Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) on base, putting AU on top, 2-0. That homer puts her at three on the season, leading the Saxons. Powers is also second on the team in batting average (.400 on 20-of-46).
 
AU remained quiet until the bottom of the fifth inning when Powers singled to center field, stole second and advanced to third on an Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach Union) single to left field. Powers finally reached home on a wild pitch. A play later, Ceja, who previously had advanced on a stolen base and wild pitch, crossed the plate when sophomore Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) hit a sac fly to center field. Junior Lea Georgatos (Emerson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) rounded out the scoring the fifth, when she scored on a double by first year Brenna Alvis (Costa Mesa, CA/Costa Mesa). AU closed the inning with a 5-0 lead.
 
Murray earned two more RBI's in the bottom of the sixth inning when she hit a triple off the left field fence to round out the scoring in the first game.
 
Murray and Powers led AU with three and two RBI's respectively. Powers and Ceja had three hits each.
 
Wilcox recorded her seventh win of the season (7-3) and remains tied in second in the Empire 8 with teammate, Schaefer. Wilcox currently holds the lowest earned run average (1.35) in the conference.
 
Game Two
 
The Saxons scored in the opening inning of the second game when Ceja ripped a double that scored junior Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) from second base. AU capitalized on an error an inning later, doubling the score, 2-0, with Georgatos crossing the plate.
 
AU doubled its lead again in the bottom of the third inning when first year Trisha Whaley (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) took advantage of a bases loaded situation and ripped a liner up the middle, scoring two more and increasing the lead to 4-0.
 
The Warriors scored their first run of the afternoon in the top of the fourth after making use of two errors by the Saxons.
 
However, AU answered back in the bottom of the fourth. First year Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) crushed a double (first of her career) over the centerfielders head and advanced on the throw to make her way to third to open in the inning. Powers stepped to the plate one batter later and singled her in, giving the Saxons the 5-1 lead.
 
AU wrapped up the evening in the bottom of the sixth when first year Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) singled down the line to open the inning. Powers and Ceja followed suit, scoring Dyke. Murray jumped in to grab a single RBI (Powers) on the next at-bat. Next up, Alexander reached on an error that scored a run before Whaley pushed Murray across the plate to finish the game, 9-1.
 
Powers wrapped up the game 4-for-4 with one RBI and two runs. Ceja went 3-for-4 with two RBI's and a run while Whaley hit 3-for-4 with three RBI's. Saucedo also went 3-for-4 at the top of the lineup.
 
Schaefer completed the game with three strikeouts, one walk, five hits and one unearned run.

"Hats off to our grounds crew today because we were very iffy on if we could get these games in with two inches of fresh snow on the ground," Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "This time of year, we've got to get games in when we can. Our next three doubleheaders are against conference opponents and it was nice to get some momentum going into it what with our batters, defense and pitchers performing well. Pretty much, every facet of the game was there for us today and as coaches, we were really excited about that and how the girls worked hard and they were excited to get on the field and play."
 
The Saxons return to the field tomorrow when they head to Houghton College to take on the Highlanders in Empire 8 play at 3PM and 5PM.