ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team (16-8, 4-2 Empire 8) fell to Stevens Institute of Technology in back-to-back games on Harrington Field Saturday afternoon.
 
The Saxons dropped the opening game of the two-game set 3-1, while falling 9-5 in the second game. Junior Lea Georgatos (Emerson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) led AU during the first matchup with two hits and an RBI. Sophomore Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) tallied three hits and two RBI's in the second game, spearheading AU's offense.
 
Game One
 
Game one of the series began as a pitching duel after sophomore Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) recovered from the first two batters in the game. After allowing the lead runners on, she continued to strikeout six consecutive batters.
 
The Ducks opened the scoring in the top of the third following two walks to start the inning. Stevens' Corinne Loncar doubled, pushing the two runs across the plate, giving them the lead 2-0. They expanded their lead in the top of the fifth, 3-0.
 
The Saxons looked to rally in the bottom of the fifth when Murray reached base safely on a walk. First year Brenna Alvis (Costa Mesa, CA/Costa Mesa) ripped a single by third, advancing Murray to second. Georgatos earned the RBI during the next at bat, sending a rip into the left field. However, AU remained silent down the stretch, despite threatening in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second with only one out.
 
Wilcox finished another complete game in the circle, allowing only two earned runs and three hits. She increased her weekly strikeout tally to 31 in three games following the performance.
 
Game Two
 
The Saxons jumped out on top in the bottom of the second in the nightcap when first year Trisha Whaley (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) earned her first hit of the contest. She was moved around the base paths via back-to-back sacrifice bunts. Murray stepped up to the plate and finished the job, crushing a liner to right field.
 
Stevens answered back in the top of the third, earning two runs by capitalizing on errors and two more after Lauren Shirley nailed a two-run homerun. The Ducks took a 4-1 lead out of the half inning.
 
Stevens increased their lead in the top of the fifth on another two RBI hit by Shirley, expanding the lead to 6-1.
 
AU looked the turn the tables in the bottom of the fifth when Murray and Alvis singled in rapid succession. They were moved over by a ground out by junior Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) before first year Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) batted them in on a line drive to center field.
 
The Saxons continued their comeback in the bottom of the sixth, rallying with two outs. Junior Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) got things moving when she singled on a grounder to the pitcher. Georgatos scored Alexander on a double that bounced off the top of the fence and was later hit in by Murray, bringing the game to 6-5.
 
The Ducks pulled away again in the top of the seventh, pushing three more runs across the plate, putting the game out of reach and sealing the sweep.
 
Senior Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) threw 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three strikeouts. Murray came in as relief, allowing three runs on six hits.

"When you don't hit, it's tough to beat a good team like Stevens," Head Coach Luke Wesneski added. "It's tough enough to beat a good team, when you do hit. I thought we hung in there quite well game one, but just couldn't string together enough hits. We hit much better game two but just didn't have the fire power today. Hats off to Stevens. They are a good team."
 
The Saxons take on Elmira College tomorrow, April 15, in yet another Empire 8 doubleheader beginning at 1PM.