Empire 8 Play of the Week

ALFRED, NY – Sophomore Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) rewrote the Alfred University softball (21-17, 8-6 Empire 8) record book again on Saturday, tallying her 139^th strikeout of the 2018 season to set a new single-single strikeout record at Alfred University.
 
The Saxons defeated the Soaring Eagles 6-5 and 4-1 during their regular season finale on Saturday, earning a spot in the Empire 8 playoffs next week. During the first round, AU will take on host #9 St. John Fisher in Rochester, NY. It is the sixth time in seven years that the Saxons have advanced to the Empire 8 Championship tournament dating back to 2011.
 
Sophomore Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) had a career day at the plate, belting two homers in two games, knocking in four RBIs. Junior Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) continued to lead the Saxons in RBIs, hitting in four baserunners with two RBIs in each game. She currently has 29 RBIs on the season, which ranks second in the Empire 8.
 
Game One
 
AU opened up the doubleheader on fire at the plate, scoring four runs in its opening inning. Wilcox started the game with a single to short while first year Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) recorded her 33 hit of the season on a single to third. Both advanced on a double steal during Alexander's at bat, which resulted in a walk to juice the bases. Senior Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) ripped in her 24^th RBI of the season on a sac fly to start the scoring. Then Murray stepped to the plate and sent a laser over the left field fence to clear the bases and bring the game to 4-0.
 
Wilcox struck out her first two batters in the top of the second inning, eying six total strikeouts in the game to overtake the single-season strikeout record. The Saxons offered no offensive support in the bottom of the second to extend the lead. They threatened in the bottom of the third when sophomore Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach Union) singled down the left field line and advanced to third on a single by junior Lea Georgatos (Emerson, NJ/Immaculate Conception) down the right field line. However, a strikeout ended the rally with two outs.
 
Wilcox earned two more K's in the top of the fifth to bring her total to four on the day. She ran into some trouble in the top of the sixth when the Soaring Eagles found momentum behind two miscues by the Saxons and chalked up five runs that were highlighted by a homerun to center field. Wilcox managed one strikeout in the inning, but Elmira held onto a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.
 
Not to be outdone, the Saxons answered back when junior Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) singled to left and stole second during the next at bat. Wilcox walked ahead of Saucedo who pushed both runners over with a sacrifice bunt, putting two ducks on the pond for the heart of the lineup. Alexander stepped to the plate and hammered a shot to left field, scoring Staub and Wilcox to retake the lead heading into the seventh.
 
Wilcox returned to the circle in the top of the seventh with two goals in mind: close out the win to clinch a playoff spot and strike out one more batter to earn the single-season strikeout record. She checked off both tasks by striking out the final batter of the game, giving AU the 6-5 victory.
 
"It was a tough game, so I had to mentally prepare myself," Wilcox said in a postgame interview. "I knew about the record and it was in the back of my mind, but I was more focused on the win."
 
Ceja led the team with two hits while seven other Saxons mustered a hit in the game. Wilcox pitched her 13^th complete game of the season, striking out six batters and walking only one. Her 139 strikeouts surpassed Chelsey Cary's record of 138 during the 2010 season.
 
Game Two
 
The second game began as a pitcher's duel with neither team managing to get on the board. AU struck first in the bottom of the third when Saucedo reached base safely on a bunt. Alexander, like clockwork, ripped a double to left center, scoring Saucedo from first, giving AU the advantage.
 
The Soaring Eagles knotted the game up in the top of the fifth when they strung together a couple hits, bringing the game to 1-1.
 
The Saxons returned the favor by scoring in the bottom of the fifth when Murray drilled her second homer of the day, which happened to be her birthday. First year Brenna Alvis (Costa Mesa, CA/Costa Mesa) got the inning started again when she singled to left field and snuck to second on a poorly timed throw. Saucedo pushed Alvis over with a groundout to third before Alexander capped off her four-RBI day with a single to left, bringing the game to 3-1.
 
AU scored its final run in the bottom of the sixth when Ceja walked with two outs. First year Chantel Singleton (Olean, NY/Olean) stepped in as the pinch running specialist and went on to score her seventh run of the season when junior Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) singled to left.
 
Senior Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) closed out the game setting Elmira down in order to give AU its 21^st win of the season. She pitched her eighth complete game of the year behind six strikeouts and zero walks.
 
"I thought we would come out and play with a little more fire than what we did," Head Coach Luke Wesneski added. "However, hats off to Elmira because they showed up to play. We are fortunate to sneak out a couple wins and I'm proud of the girls for digging deep. Both pitchers gave us a great chance to win each game and we were able to do that. Also, I am excited for Becca Alexander and Jillian Murray as they had big days at the plate. Today was Jill's birthday and she hit two homers, so happy birthday, Jill."
 
The Saxons are off until next Friday when they travel to Rochester, NY to take on the St. John Fisher Cardinals at a time to be announced. AU dropped both games against the Cardinals on April 27^th by the scores 2-0 and 6-3, respectively.