ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team (20-18, Empire 8 9-5) earned its 11th Empire 8 tournament berth in 12 years in 2019. The Saxons will now play #2 St. John Fisher in Hoboken, NJ on Friday May 3, at 1PM at the Weehawken Waterfront Complex.
AU will face St. John Fisher on Friday, May 3 at 1:00PM at the Weehawken Waterfront in the first round of the Empire 8 Conference Championships. Following that game, #1 Stevens and #4 Nazareth will square off in the second game. The tournament is a double-elimination format that will continue through Sunday, May 5 where an Empire 8 Champion will be crowned.
Site: Stevens Institute of Technology | Weehawken Waterfront
2019 Empire 8 Softball Championship Schedule
Friday, May 3 - Day One
Game 1 - 1:00PM – #2 St. John Fisher vs. #3 Alfred University
Game 2 - 3:30PM – #1 Stevens vs. #4 Nazareth
Saturday, May 4 - Day Two
Game 3 - 11:00AM – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
Game 4 - 1:30PM - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
Game 5 - 4:00PM - Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3
Sunday, May 5 - Day Three
Game 6 - 11:00AM - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5
Game 7 - 1:30PM - Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if neccessary)
Alfred University in the Empire 8 Rankings (Conference Games Only)
| Category |
Ranking in the E8 |
Statistic |
| Batting Average |
4th |
.289 |
| Runs |
3rd |
60 |
| Hits |
4th |
107 |
| Doubles |
1st |
20 |
| Triples |
1st |
4 |
| Home Runs |
7th |
3 |
| RBIs |
3rd |
54 |
| Walks Drawn |
7th |
18 |
| Stolen Bases |
3rd |
17 |
| ERA |
3rd |
2.06 |
| Shutouts |
1st |
6 |
| Strikeouts |
2nd |
76 |
| Opponents Batting Average |
3rd |
.274 |
| Fielding Percentage |
7th |
.940 |
Individuals in the Empire 8 Rankings (Conference Games Only)
Saxon Leaders
Junior
Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) leads all Saxon pitchers in ERA (2.03), Wins (15), complete games (15), shutouts (8), innings pitched (141.2), strikeouts (128) and opponents batting average (.238). Sophomore
Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) leads the Saxons in saves while junior
Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) has the fewest hits allowed (78).
Offensively, AU is led by first-year
Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) in batting average (.330), runs (19), on-base percentage (.410) and hits (35). Murray leads the Saxons in doubles (7), slugging percentage (.438) and RBIs (16). First-year
Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) leads the Saxons in triples (3) and stolen bases (20).
Defensively, Lugo led AU with 75 assists and four double plays. Senior
Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) caught six runners stealing bases from behind the plate.
Regional Ruckus
The Saxons have topped two regionally-ranked teams in the last two weeks including #4 SUNY Cortland (4/24) and #8 Clarkson (4/16). The Saxons also defeated #10-nationally-ranked Ithaca College (4/4). Wilcox pitched all three games in which the Saxons defeated those regionally/nationally ranked teams. The only regionally-ranked team the Saxons were unable to get a win off of in 2019 was SUNY Geneseo.
Infusion of Youth
The Saxons were revitalized with an infusion of youth during the 2019 season. Head Coach
Luke Wesneski brought in six first-years in 2019 with five earning significant time. On many cases, all four infielders were first-years from the state of California, including the lineup of
Delaney Kelly (San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch) at first base,
Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) at second base,
Tati Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) at third base and Lugo at shortstop.
Guitron spent a majority of the season leading off for the Saxons, and did it successfully with, leading the team in batting average (.330), runs (19), on-base percentage (.410) and hits (35).
History Watch
Below is a list of records currently owned or on the line by the 2019 softball team:
- The Saxon pitching staff currently has a 2.97 ERA, which is the 10th-best in program history, right behind the 2013 pitching staff (2.85).
- The Saxons have stolen 53 bases in 2019, which is sixth in program history behind the 2018 team (55).
- First-year Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) currently has 20 stolen bases, which is tied for fourth all-time at AU with Liz Thompson '17.
- Junior Jessica Wilcox currently holds the following rankings in the AU softball record book:
- School record in strikeouts in a game (14) - a feat she has completed twice. Once against Sage in 2018 and once against St. John Fisher in 2019.
- School record in shutouts in a season (8) - currently in 2019
- School record in strikeouts in a season (150) - completed in 2018
- She currently ranks second in career strikeouts (314) at AU, trailing only Chelsey Carey '11 (347 career strikeouts)
- She currently ranks second in career shutouts (10) at AU, trailing only Chelsey Carey '11 (15 career shutouts)
- She currently ranks fifth in wins in a season (15) trailing Kerri Keeler '18 who had 17 wins in 2015
- Lugo currently has three triples on the season, ranking just outside the top-five for triples in a season. If she hits one triple, she will tie Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) and Liz DeFranco '97 for fifth most triples in a season.
Empire 8 Championship History
This is the 12th appearance in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament for the Saxons, including the Saxons 11th appearance in 12 seasons. The Saxons earned their first berth in 2006 and missed only the 2017 season from 2008 to 2019.
AU has hosted the Empire 8 tournament twice in program history (2010 and 2015) winning the tournament once in 2015. AU has been the #2-seed once, the #3 seed four times and the #4-seed four times. Overall, the Saxons have the second-most tournament wins among current Empire 8 Conference members (13), trailing only St. John Fisher (39). The Saxons are 13-19 (.406) in Empire 8 tournament games.
The Saxons are 3-7 while facing St. John Fisher in the Empire 8 tournament while maintaining a 4-0 record against Stevens and 1-0 record against Nazareth.
AU is coming off a 1-2 performance in the 2019 Empire 8 Conference tournament, falling to SJFC in the opening round 2-0 and defeating Stevens in the second round, 5-1. However, the Saxons were eliminated by Utica 13-5 in the semifinal game.
The Saxons Beyond the Empire 8 Championship Tournament
The Saxons have made three appearances in the NCAA tournament, including one appearance in the College World Series in 2015. AU earned its first appearance in the NCAA Regionals in 2010 where they posted a 3-2 record, but eventually fell to host, Ithaca College, 7-1 with a Super Regional appearance on the line. En route to that game, the Saxons unseated #6 SUNY Cortland and #21 Lebanon Valley. Overall, the Saxons finished 37-8 on the season and 13-1 in Empire 8 play.
AU's second appearance in the NCAA Tournament came in 2014 where the Saxons went 2-2 overall defeating Messiah and the University Rochester to get to the final game of the regional round. However, U of R bounced back and defeated AU twice to earn a berth to the Super Regional round.
The Saxons finally overcame the Regional Round in 2015, serving as the host. The Saxons went 3-0 during the Regional Tournament before dropping game one of the Super Regional to Heidelberg. AU bounced back and took the series 2-1 to earn the berth to the College World Series were they fell to Linfield and Kean to bow out of the National Championship event. The Saxons completed their season with a program record 40 wins and seven losses.
Last Matchup Against Each Opponent
#1 – Stevens – W, 1-0 & L, 3-2 - 4/6/19
Box Score
Junior
Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley)recorded her fourth complete game shutout on Saturday, aiding the Saxons (12-12, Empire 8 4-2) to a split with the Ducks on the road. Alfred University softball remains atop the Empire 8 standings following Saturday's games.
Wilcox, who pitched 12.0 innings on the day and allowed only 2 earned runs, recorded 10 total strikeouts, including nine strikeouts in game one of the doubleheader. She now has an 8-5 overall record in the circle, leading the Empire 8 in wins and strikeouts (72).
The Saxon offense accumulated 11 hits on the day, with seven in game one and four in game two. Sophomore
Sydney Saucedo(Whittier, CA/Whittier) led AU with three hits on the day while knocking in one RBI. Junior
Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) was a terror on the base paths, stealing two bases. First-year
Ashley Lugo(Hesperia, CA/Oak Hill) also stole a base, marking her 12
th stolen base of the year – tied for the most in the Empire 8.
Game One
The Saxons threatened right off the bat when first-year
Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) walked to start the game. Murray singled to right to move Guitron to third before stealing second. However, the Saxons were unable to push the baserunners in, leaving the game at 0-0.
AU made up for the missed opportunity in the top of the second when senior
Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) singled down the right field line. She moved over to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a successful sacrifice bunt by Lugo. Finally, fellow senior
Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) scored Alexander on a groundout to short, giving AU the 1-0 lead.
The Ducks looked to answer in the bottom of the inning, getting a runner to third base, but Wilcox struck out back-to-back batters to maintain her clean bill in the circle.
AU nearly increased the lead in the third when Guitron, Saucedo and Murray reached base safely to begin the inning. However, three AU batters went down in rapid succession, keeping the score, 1-0. Wilcox continued her ability to overpower the Ducks down the stretch keeping them off the board. Finally, in the bottom of the seventh, she summoned a final rush, striking out all three batters to seal her eighth win of the year.
Wilcox threw 113 pitched over 7.0 innings, allowing eight hits and striking out nine.
Game Two
The second game of the afternoon was another pitching duel, with neither team scoring until the fourth inning. Of 24 batters to walk up to the plate, only seven reached base safely and only four had hits. However, Stevens was on the board first, putting a run up in the bottom of the fourth.
The Saxons found their first run in the top of the fifth when Lugo led off the inning with a single to the pitcher. She stole second during the next at-bat and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by first-year
Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley). Finally, Saucedo pushed her in with a single up the middle, knotting the game up at 1-1. The Ducks scored two in the bottom of the inning, taking the lead, 3-1.
AU found late life in the seventh when Lugo singled to second base and advanced to third on a throwing error to second base. O'Toole recorded an RBI when she hammered a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Lugo. The Saxons were unable to get another run before the Ducks closed out the game, 3-2.
Wilcox pitched 5.0 innings of game two, striking out one and allowing two earned runs. Sophomore
Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) came in for 1.0 inning of relief, allowing no hits and striking out one batter.
"We got a great pitching performance from
Jessica Wilcox and
Moreta Dyke," Head Coach
Luke Wesneski said. "Unfortunately, we didn't have our bats with us today and really had to work hard to push a run across in game one. We left a lot of runners on and have to find a way to score. We just put too much pressure on our pitching staff and that has to change moving forward. We need to show up every day with every part of our game. We will take the split and learn from it and get ready for tomorrow."
#2 – St. John Fisher College Cardinals – W, 1-0 & L, 5-0
Box Score
Junior
Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) tied her own school record of 14 strikeouts in a game to help the Saxons (16-14, Empire 8 8-4) to an Empire 8 split with defending-champion St. John Fisher on Saturday afternoon on the road.
The Saxons took game one of the single-day series at SJFC, 1-0 before dropping game two 5-0. Wilcox (12-6) pitched her 12
thcomplete game of the year and sixth complete game shutout against the Cardinals, who entered the day as the second-best hitting team in the Empire 8. Wilcox recorded 16 total strikeouts on the day, bringing her season total to 104, which is only nine strikeouts short of reaching the single-season top-five strikeout list.
Senior
Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) led the Saxons with two hits on the day while first-year
Tati Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) batting in the Saxons' only run of the day.
Wilcox threw 7.0 innings, striking out 14 batters, tying her career-high and AU record set against Sage in the 2018. Following the game, Wilcox had thrown 19.0 consecutive scoreless innings.
Game One
As expected, the top-two pitchers in the Empire 8 in
Jessica Wilcox and Emily Trotman duked it out for supremacy. The Saxons earned some life in the top of the second when Alexander reached base on a single with two outs. Fellow senior
Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) wore a pitch before sophomore
Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) singled to the pitcher to load the bases. However, AU was unable to push a run across the plate.
The Cardinals also had some life in the bottom of the second when Kubik led the inning off with a double to left. Wilcox took the wind out of the Cardinals, striking out the side behind the leadoff double to maintain the shutout.
AU finally got on the board in the top of the fifth when first-year
Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hill) reached base on an error. She made the Cardinals pay, stealing second and eventually scoring on a single by Mejia. One run was all the Saxons needed as they rode Wilcox to the 17
th win of the season, 1-0.
Game Two
Wilcox and Trotman started game two as well, much to the chagrin of the batters. However, the Cardinals finally scored off Wilcox in the bottom of the second on a three-run homerun. Following the inning, junior
Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) took the circle. SJFC scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure the win, 5-0.
Wilcox pitched 2.0 innings, striking out two batters. Murray went 4.0 innings, allowing only two unearned runs on five hits.
"Another great overall pitching performance," Head Coach
Luke Wesneski said. "Very proud of the girls as they played a tremendous game against a good team. Jess Wilcox had a stellar day and
Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) called a great game. Jill Murray's bat may have cooled off today, but she pitched four solid innings in relief. We just have to get better at the plate and establish some consistency. That starts with me and we will get better."
#4 – Nazareth College – L, 6-4 & W, 3-0 - 4/20/2019
Box Score
Junior
Jillian Murray (Eden, NY/Eden) threw her first-career complete-game shutout to lead the Alfred University softball team (18-16, Empire 8 9-5) over Nazareth College in game two of the two-game set on the road.
The Saxons split with the Golden Flyers on Saturday afternoon on the road, dropping game one 6-4 and taking game two 3-0 behind a gem of a pitching performance by Murray (2-4). She threw a complete-game shutout, striking out one batter. Fellow Eden High School graduate,
Kelley Staub (Eden, NY/Eden) batted in two RBIs in the game to help the Saxons earn the important Empire matchup.
Game One
The Saxons jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over the Golden Flyers when first-year
Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) doubled to left field, batting in fellow first-year
Delaney Kelly (San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch). Lugo eventually scored from second after senior
Lu Krawczyk (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) singled to left field. The Golden Flyers scored six unanswered runs to take the lead, 6-2.
AU bounced back in the top of the sixth when first-year
Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) singled with two outs. Lugo added her second and third RBIs to her tally by banging a homer over the right field fence, bringing the Saxons within two runs, 6-4. Sophomore
Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) led the bottom of the seventh off with a single, setting AU up for another rally, but the next three batters went down in order, closing out the game.
Junior
Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) started in the circle, throwing 3.0 innings, striking out six batters and allowing three earned runs. Sophomore
Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) finished the game, pitching 3.0 innings, shutting out the Golden Flyers and striking out one batter. Four separate Saxons had two hits in the game.
Game Two
The nightcap was a pitching duel that was scoreless until the fourth inning. Finally, the Saxons found success when senior
Becca Alexander (Middletown, DE/Middletown) led the inning off with a single to center field. Guitron moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt and Lugo pushed her to third when she got on via an error. Alexander scored when Staub hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Saxons the 1-0 lead.
The Saxons added two pivotal insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Alexander got the Saxons going again when she got on base via a hit by pitch. Guitron also wore a pitch, putting two AU batters on with no outs. Lugo moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt before Staub earned her second RBI of the game with a single to the pitcher. Saucedo also earned an RBI when she reached base on an error, scoring Guitron.
Murray shut the Golden Flyers down the remainder of the way, giving the Saxons their ninth win in conference play. Overall, Murray threw 7.0 innings, striking out one batter and allowing eight hits.
"We will take this conference split and move forward," Head Coach
Luke Wesneski said. "Hats off to Nazareth as they hit the ball hard today. We saw some good things today from some of our girls and we are excited about that moving forward. We had a great pitching performance from Jill Murray in game two and it was an exciting way to end in the second game. We will enjoy a day off tomorrow and get back to work next week."
The Saxons have wrapped up their conference slate and secured a position in the Empire 8 Championship tournament. They will take on SUNY Cortland on Wednesday, April 24 in nonconference play before hosting Oswego State on Thursday to wrap up the regular season.
