ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team opened Empire 8 action Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with Utica College from Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons extended their win streak to six games with a 6-0 victory in the opener, but errors doomed the Saxons in a 9-6 game two loss. AU sits at 10-3 overall, 1-1 in the Empire 8, while Utica sits at 6-4 overall and 1-3 in the Empire 8.
 
Graduate pitcher Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) broke her own record in game one, striking out 15 Pioneer batters, en route to rewriting the record books once again. Wilcox's original record of 14 was set numerous times, most recently last Wednesday against Ithaca. Junior infielder Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) had three hits in the doubleheader and swiped three bases in game two, moving her to second place all-time in stolen bases at AU with 56. She sits just 12 stolen bases away from tying the all-time mark of 68, set by Liz Thompson '17. Lugo has stolen an impressive 31 bases in 24 games between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
 
GAME ONE
The Saxons tallied eight hits and took advantage of a pair of Utica errors in the game one victory. In the second inning, junior outfielder Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) reached on an error at shortstop, scoring first year infielder Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) from third. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Lugo cleared the bases with an RBI triple.
 
The Saxons tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning on a pair of Utica miscues. That was more than enough for Wilcox (6-0), who began the game perfect through 3.1 innings, striking out nine of her first 10 batters faced. With 13 strikeouts entering the top of the seventh, Wilcox struck out Abbigayle Finch, and then struck out Jordyn Conte out swinging for the record and the victory. Wilcox finished with a two-hitter, allowing just one walk in 113 pitches.
 
 Lugo, sophomore infielder Molly Lawson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills), and sophomore outfielder Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) led the team with two hits.
 
GAME TWO
Utica jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, before the Saxons battled back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. In the second, senior outfielder Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) drove in one via a one-out single. The next batter, junior infielder Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) ripped a double, closing the deficit to one at 6-5. A one-out double in the third inning by first year infielder Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union) tied the game at six after three innings.
 
Three consecutive Saxon errors gave Utica the 8-6 lead in the fourth, before both teams settled down offensively. The Pioneers tacked on an additional run in the seventh, thanks to an RBI single by Adrian Duvall. Conte, coming on in relief for Makenna Reinold in the first inning after the starter faced three batters, went the rest of the way with three earned runs on eight hits, shutting the Saxons out over the final four innings for her third victory of the season.
 
First year pitcher Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) took her first loss of the season (2-1), but was solid in relief, giving up just two earned runs over 6.2 innings pitched, striking out nine batters. Offensively, Lawson once again led the Saxons with two hits, going 2 for-3 with one run scored. Lugo and Saucedo each scored two runs.
 
With the scheduled road matchup at Sage postponed due to inclement weather in the Albany region, the Saxons will instead make up a previously postponed doubleheader against Houghton on Sunday, at Harrington Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.