SaxonTV YouTube Recap

ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team (7-9, Empire 8 2-0) opened Empire 8 play with a sweep over The Sage Colleges, bursting out for 19 runs. Senior Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) clubbed two doubles and a homer in game two to lead the Saxons with four RBIs.
 
The Saxon bats stayed hot on Friday evening at Harrington field, rattling off 12 hits in both games to down the Gators in the Empire 8 season opener. Seven different AU batters recorded an RBI between the two games.
 
Game One
AU wasted no time getting their bats started in Friday's doubleheader, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first winning of game one. First-year Alyssa Guiton (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) got on base with a single up the middle to open the home half of the inning. One batter later, fellow first-year Tati Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) teed off on a ball, sending it to right center for a double, scoring Guitron. Yet another first-year in Delaney Kelly (San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch) stepped up next, and blasted a shot to the warning track, scoring Mejia. Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) walked in the next at-bat, putting two on for first-year Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) who smacked her first collegiate triple to right center. Lugo touched the plate after senior Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) belted a ball up the middle.
 
Sage found some life in the top of the third inning, scoring two runs. However, AU answered back with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning when Staub batted in O'Toole, who had singled earlier in the inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch. AU had a 6-2 advantage heading into the fourth inning.
 
The Saxons posted their final three runs in the bottom of the fourth when they juiced the bases with back-to-back-to-back singles. Kelly pushed in Guitron, who started the rally, with a grounder to first base. In the next at bat, O'Toole smacked a shot to center field to score Mejia and senior Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West), capping AU's victory 9-2 over Sage.
 
Junior Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) earned the win in the game, pitching 5.0 innings, striking out six batters and allowing only two earned runs. Sophomore Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) finished the game with 2.0 innings pitched, one strikeout and no earned runs.
 
Game Two
The Gators came out of the gates fast in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Unimpacted, the Saxons answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Guitron started the inning off, smoking a double to right center ahead of a walk by Krawczyk. AU caught a break when Kelly hit a ball to second base that went between the legs of the fielder, scoring Guitron. Krawczyk scored in the next at bat when O'Toole laid down a sacrifice bunt.
 
Sage nabbed another run in the top of the second, increasing the lead 4-2. But Alexander had other plans for the game in the bottom of the third, crushing a three-run homer over the left field wall to take the lead, 5-2. AU wasn't done after Lugo walked and stole second and third on back-to-back pitches, eventually scoring on a wild pitch, increasing the lead 6-4. The Gators scored again in the top of the fourth, knotting the game up, 6-6.
 
AU added two runs in the bottom of the fourth, rallying with two outs. O'Toole got the rally started when she singled to right field. Alexander cleared the bases with a double to right center before scoring herself on a single by Lugo. AU assumed the lead 8-6 at the close of the inning.
 
The Saxons tacked on two insurance runs in back-to-back innings down the stretch. The first came in the fifth when Krawczyk singled to bat in Staub who had singled earlier in the inning, increasing the lead 9-6. Alexander came up clutch again in the bottom of the sixth, starting the inning with a double and eventually scoring on a double by Staub. The Gators made some noise in the top of the seventh inning, scoring once, but to no avail. AU completed the sweep with a 10-7 win.
 
Dyke earned her second win of the year in game two, pitching five innings, allowing only one earned run. Both junior Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) and Wilcox pitched one inning each.
 
"We know this team can hit. It was just a matter of time before they broke out and started hitting the ball and scoring it up while working counts," Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "We were able to put 19 runs on the board today. Some of the players who were getting a little bit frustrated were turning it around today. We're excited about playing Utica tomorrow in a conference doubleheader. Hats off to our grounds crew for getting the field ready for today as we had a lot of rain last night and they were able to help us out."
 
The Saxons play host to Empire 8 foe, Utica College at 12PM and 2PM on Saturday, March 30.