ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team and the University of Rochester battled to split a pair of one-run games on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon at Harrington Field. Rochester prevailed in a 7-6 eight-inning decision in game one, but the Saxons battled to win 6-5 in game two.
 
The split leaves Alfred at 6-2 overall and Rochester at 6-4. The Saxons will begin Empire 8 play on Friday, hosting Houghton in an afternoon doubleheader, beginning at 2 p.m.
 
Junior infielder Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) continued her hot start with her second home run of the season in game one. She tallied three hits in the doubleheader and stole three bases. First year infielder Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) led the Saxons with five total hits. First year pitcher Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) picked up her first career victory in game two.
 
"Rochester is a quality team year in and out and we were happy to finally have them on our schedule this year," said head coach Luke Wesneski. "That was a hard-fought 15 innings of softball and fun to be a part of. We are still a bit in spring break mode and figuring some things out and we need to clean some things up very soon. We had huge contributions from some of our younger kids today and that is great to see."
 
"We battled back in game one and had a chance to win but some costly miscues took us out of some innings," Wesneski added. "Our pitchers kept us in the game and our offense battled all day and I'm very proud of their effort today. We look forward to starting conference play on Friday."
 
GAME ONE
 
A crucial Saxon error led to a three-run opening inning for the Yellowjackets. A two-out, two-run double by Allison Beckwith got Rochester on the board, and the Yellowjackets would add one more in the first and two in the third off a Beckwith home run, giving the 'Jackets a 5-0 lead.
 
The Saxons responded in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore outfielder Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) led the inning with a single, before Lugo brought her home with a two-run home run to center field, her second of the season. Later in the inning with runners on second and third, junior catcher Mara Moore (Torrance, CA/West High) hit a double in the left center gap, scoring two runs to complete a 5-4 inning.
 
Rochester added a run in the fifth for a 6-4 lead, which lasted until the bottom of the seventh. With their backs against the wall, junior infielder Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) led the inning with a single. Two batters later, Wells drove Mejia home with an RBI single, advancing to second base. Moore then brought Wells home with an RBI single of her own, tying the game at six heading into extras. A clutch home run in the eighth by Rochester's Hunter Gilbreath proved to be the game-winner, as the Saxons fell in their first extra-inning contest of the season.
 
Graduate pitcher Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) started, earning a no-decision after allowing three earned runs in six innings pitched, striking out seven batters. First year pitcher Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) took the hard-earned loss (0-1), allowing just the one hit that proved to be the game-winner in two innings pitched.
 
Nine Saxon batters tallied a hit, including multi-hit performances by Moore and Wells.
 
GAME TWO
 
Game two was pretty much a mirror image of game one. Yellowjacket miscues early led to the Saxons jumping out to an early advantage. A double-steal by Lugo and Mejia gave the Saxons the early run. The next batter, graduate infielder Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach), drove Mejia home with an RBI single up the middle for the 2-0 advantage. A pair of Rochester errors led to the Saxon's third run, as senior utility Moreta Duke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area) drew a walk with the bases loaded for the early 3-0 advantage.
 
Rochester tied things up with a three-run fourth. Toni Anne Hahn led the inning off with a deep shot to left field, the solo homer putting the 'Jackets on the board. The game was eventually tied thanks to a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to center field.
 
Not to be outdone, AU relied on small ball to push a run in at the bottom of the frame. Lugo led the inning with a walk, then advanced on consecutive ground outs, before scoring on a wild pitch from third for the 4-3 advantage.
 
An Alfred miscue tied the game at four in the sixth inning, but that was short lived. In the bottom of the frame and the bases loaded for Wells, the rookie came through with a two-RBI single to left field and the Saxons were three outs away from victory.
 
Pitching her third full inning of relief, Bennett forced Hahn to fly out at the warning track in left field. Two batters later, Gilbreath also flied out to left field, and Rochester was down to its last out with a runner on first. Alexis Pope hit a two-out double, scoring the runner after a miscue in right field sent Erin Bevec home. Undeterred, Bennett forced Madi Turner to pop up to herself to preserve the victory.
 
Sophomore pitcher Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) earned the no-decision, allowing three earned on five hits, striking out three batters in four gutsy innings. Bennett picked up her first victory (1-0), allowing just one earned run on three hits, with a pair of strikeouts. Offensively, Wells went 3-for-4 with two runs driven in, and Lugo went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Dyke, Carrillo, Ceja, junior outfielder Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon), and first year infielder Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union) each added a hit.