BUFFALO, NY – Graduate pitcher Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) ties the career wins record, as the Alfred University softball team split in a slugfest with Buffalo State, in non-league action on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Buffalo State Softball Field.
 
The Saxons (4-1) defeated the Bengals (3-3) 9-5 in game one, while the Bengals defeated the Saxons 8-7 in game two. The game one victory was also the first win for the Saxons in four tries against the Bengals in the all-time series.
 
Wilcox entered the game in relief in the first game with the score tied 4-4 after one inning. She settled things down, allowing one earned run off three hits in six innings pitched, striking out nine of the 22 batters faced for her 39^th career victory, tying Chelsey Cary '11 for the career wins record.
 
GAME ONE
The Saxons once again jumped out to an early lead, with junior infielder Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) providing the opening salvo with leadoff home run to left field. They then went to small-ball, as senior outfielder Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) took advantage of a throwing error by the Buffalo State catcher, sprinting home after junior infielder Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) successfully stole second base. Two batters later, it was Mejia that scored thanks to a miscue by the catcher, for the 3-0 lead. First year infielder Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) singled up the middle for the RBI single, ending the inning with a commanding 4-0 lead.
 
That lead wasn't safe, as the Bengals fought right back to tie it. With a runner in scoring position with one out, Kayla Wolinski tallied an RBI single through the right side. Two batters later, Taylor Benton rewarded Wolinski with an RBI single of her own. The Bengals would tally three straight singles, tying the game at four.
 
Consecutive singles by Saucedo and graduate infielder Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach Union) got the Saxons cooking in the second, and a wild pitch sent Saucedo home with a 5-4 AU lead. The Saxons would tack on two runs in the third off an RBI single by sophomore outfielder Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) and an RBI double by Lugo, and two more in the fourth via RBIs by junior outfielder Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) and sophomore utility Molly Lawson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills), giving the Saxons a 9-4 lead.
 
From there, Wilcox (3-0) tempered the Buff State bats, with the Bengals scratching just the one run in the seventh to close out the 9-5 victory.
 
The Saxons tallied 14 hits in game one, led by a pair of three-hit performances by Lugo and Ceja. Saucedo and Wells each added two hits, as every Saxon starter reached base via a hit or walk. First year pitcher Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) got the start, recording three strikeouts in the first inning.
 
Oriana Castello led the Bengals with three hits. Carli Bogue (1-2) took the loss, allowing six earned on 11 hits in three innings pitched. Olivia Carr allowed two earned in four innings of relief.
 
GAME TWO
Game two was even more of a slugfest between the two teams. This time, it was Buffalo State that jumped into action, sprinting out to a 5-0 lead after a five-run second inning. The Bengals stretched their lead to 6-0 after three innings, before the Saxons began to climb back into the game.
 
In the fourth, Wells got AU on the board with a one-out, RBI double to right field, scoring Mejia from third. In the fifth, the Saxons climbed even closer. First year pitcher Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) tallied her first career hit with a single up the middle. After a pinch-hit single by senior utility Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area), Lugo singled down the left field line for the RBI, scoring Perez to cut the deficit to four. Two batters later, Dyke scored on a Mejia groundout, and Ceja brought Lugo home on a deep sacrifice fly to right field, as the Saxons cut the deficit to two, 6-4.
 
Buffalo State would respond with a one-out, solo home run to dead center by Taylor Benton off Perez in the bottom of the frame, but the Saxons struck back with another sacrifice fly, this time by Lugo, scoring junior infielder Mara Moore (Torrance, CA/West High). The Bengals once again added an insurance run in the sixth, setting the table for Alfred's last chance in the top of the seventh down 8-5.
 
The Saxons began the seventh with a groundout, but Ceja got on with a single down the right field line. An AU strikeout put the Saxons in dire straits, with the rookie Wells at bat. Wells worked out a walk, putting runners on first and second. Moore came through with a double in the gap in right center, scoring both Wells and Ceja, cutting the lead to just one. Wilcox came on to pinch hit, but the Bengals finished the job, as the shortstop just beat Wilcox to the bag with her throw to first, ending the Saxon threat.
 
The Saxons tallied 11 hits despite the loss, led by Lugo and Guitron's 2-for-3 performances. Nine different batters recorded a hit. Sophomore pitcher Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) took the loss (1-1), allowing six earned in two innings, striking out two. Perez made her career debut in relief, allowing just one earned in 2.1 innings pitched. Bennett finished the job with just one earned in 1.2 innings pitched, striking out a batter.
 
The Bengals got two hits each from Wolinski, Benton, and Ashlyn Swink for the win. Makena Adams (2-0) got the winning, allowing four earned off nine hits, striking out a batter. Olivia Carr picked up a three-inning save, her first of the season.
 
The Saxons return home for another non-conference doubleheader against the University of Rochester on Wednesday, with first pitch beginning at 3 p.m.