ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team fought through a pair of weather delays, sparking late-inning magic in a dramatic sweep of Penn State-Behrend in its home finale Wednesday afternoon from Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons took game one by a 7-3 score. Junior infielder Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) knocked in a walk-off single to win game two for the Saxons, a 1-0 score. The sweep improves Alfred's record to 24-7, while Penn. State-Behrend stands at 20-6, snapping a 15-game win streak. The Saxons will wrap up the Empire 8 portion of the schedule in its next contest, traveling to Sage for a Sunday doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Before the doubleheader, the Saxons honored its 2021 season class, celebrating the careers of graduate pitcher Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley), graduate infielder Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach Union), senior utility Moreta Dyke (Milesburg, PA/Bald Eagle Area), and senior outfielder Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna). The Saxons also honored alumni Jillian Murray '20 and Alana Eaton '20, as well as graduate assistant coach Brooke Kohler and the Penn State-Behrend seniors.
 
On the field, it was the underclassmen who made big plays for AU. Junior outfielder Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) tallied five hits in the doubleheader and made a pair of impressive diving plays in right field.
 
Sophomore pitcher Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) pitched another game two gem, shutting out Penn State-Behrend in a complete game effort, allowing just six hits in seven innings, striking out four batters for her fifth victory of the season. Hatch has not allowed an earned run in the last 17 1/3 innings and has allowed just one earned run in the last 24 1/3 innings pitched. Hatch also added a pair of hits, scoring two runs and stealing the first base of her career.
 
"Today was just a tough, gritty performance from both teams," said head coach Luke Wesneski. "It was a lot of fun to be a part of and I really enjoyed watching our team stay tough and compete, especially after enduring two rain delays. Both teams had outstanding pitching and defense today and those games are fun to be a part of. I'm proud of our girls for coming out on top in both games and hopefully carry some momentum into our last conference doubleheader on Sunday.
 
 
GAME ONE
Both teams withstood a pair of weather-related delays during a three-hour game one. The first came at the end of the second inning, lasting about 15 minutes. The second, a 30-minute lightning delay, came before the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
In between, the Saxons took an early lead in the bottom of the first, when a one-out single by first year infielder Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) scored two AU runners, as the Saxons took a 2-0 lead.
 
The Saxons threatened to add to that lead in the second and third innings, but left runners in scoring position each time. The Lions responded in the top of the fourth, getting on the board with a Cami McNany run-scoring infield single. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly by Ashleigh Schmidt scored a runner from third base, tying the game at two.   
 
After the second delay, the Saxon bats got back to work. First year infielder Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union) and Saucedo hit a one-out singles, before a passed ball moved runners at second and third base. A well-placed bunt by Hatch brought home a run, as the Saxons took a 3-2 lead. After Hatch stole second, Lugo struck an RBI single into center field, scoring Saucedo as the lead doubled to 4-2. The next batter, Guitron, capped the big inning with a double into left field, scoring two for a 6-2 lead. In the sixth, a wild pitch would score Saucedo with two outs, as Alfred upped its advantage to 7-2.
 
The Lions tried to mount a late-inning comeback, tallying three consecutive two-out singles, including a run-scoring single by Marissa Torretti. Saxon reliever, first year Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) thwarted the rally, striking out Kylee Bundy to end the three-hour game.
 
The Saxons tallied 15 hits in game one, led by a 3-for-5 performance by Guitron. Wells, Ceja, and junior infielder Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) each tallied two hits. Lugo added one hit but scored two runs and added three stolen bases. Saucedo also scored twice.
 
Wilcox improved to 12-3 on the season with another solid start. She pitched six innings, allowing one earned run on five hits, striking out seven batters.
 
 
GAME TWO
 
Game two was a pitcher's duel between Hatch and Penn State Behrend's Kayla Lindberg, with both defenses showing up to make a plethora of highlight plays.
 
The Saxons threatened in the bottom of the third, as an error and a single put a runner in scoring position with one out. Solid situational fielding by the Lions helped to keep Lindberg out of trouble. In the top of the fourth, it was Penn State-Behrend with runners in scoring positions, as three consecutive singles loaded the bases with two outs. Hatch slid out of trouble, forcing a flyout to center field to end the inning.
 
The Lions threatened once again in the fifth, as an error placed a runner on second base with one out. After the runner tagged on the second out at right field, putting a runner at third base, Hatch forced Torretti to ground out to junior infielder Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy), escaping the inning without a scratch.
 
In the top of the seventh, Penn State-Behrend had runners on first and second base with two outs and Torretti at the plate. Torretti hit a shallow fly into right field that looked to drop in for a hit, but Guitron made a mad dash, diving in to make the catch and save the shutout for Hatch.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Hatch responded with a leadoff triple into right field. Three batters later, Lugo came up to the plate with two outs and Hatch still on third base. The junior took the first pitch she saw into right-center field, a Texas leaguer that scored Hatch for the game-winning run as the Saxon bench ran out in celebration.
 
Both teams tallied six hits. For the Saxons, Lugo and Guitron each tallied two hits, with Hatch and sophomore outfielder Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) adding a hit each.