ALBANY, NY – The Alfred University softball team finished the Empire 8 schedule with a pair of dominating performances, sweeping Russell Sage College in the league finale Sunday afternoon from the Plumeri Softball Complex. The Saxons won a 10-0 five-inning decision in game one and took the series with a 14-3 six-inning victory in game two.
 
The Saxons (26-7, 15-5 Empire 8) inch closer to the Gators (14-4, 14-4 Empire 8) as AU finishes its conference schedule. The Saxons, sitting in third place, are one game back in the loss column from the second-place Gators. Sage has two games remaining, traveling to Elmira for their season finale at a date to be determined. The Saxons will take on Ithaca College for the second time this season, traveling to Ithaca this Thursday beginning at 3 p.m.
 
Graduate pitcher Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) set yet another AU pitching record in game one. The ace twirled a two-hit performance, shutting out the Gators for her 16^th career shutout, passing Chelsey Carey '11.
 
Junior infielder Ashely Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) tallied the 100^th hit of her career with a single in the third inning of game one. Lugo tallied her team-leading 49^th hit of the season; the junior tallied 51 hits in her previous two seasons combined.
 
"It was great to get the games in and play well," said head coach Luke Wesneski. "It was a solid team effort all the way around and I am glad our girls shook off the long bus ride and just went to work. Proud of the effort today by everyone. They deserve a few days off before we get back to work this week."
 
GAME ONE
The Saxons struck quickly, opening the game with a pair of runs. Lugo led the game with a single, then stole second and third base to set up a run scoring double by junior infielder Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) to left center field. Two batters later, Junior infielder Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) reached on a Sage miscue, scoring Mejia for the 2-0 lead.
 
The Saxons broke the game open in the middle innings. In the third, Lugo led the inning with the 100^th hit of her career, a single to right field. Lugo was moved over to third, before first year infielder Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) scored Lugo with an RBI double to left center. O'Toole then knocked in an RBI single to right field, leading to graduate infielder Elena Ceja (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Beach Union) knocking in two more runs with an RBI double. Wilcox joined the party two batters later, driving in a run with a fielder's choice, as the Saxons led 7-0.
 
In the fourth, with runners at second and third base with two outs, senior outfielder Sydney Saucedo (Whittier, CA/La Serna) tallied her second hit of the game, an RBI double into center field, giving the Saxons a 9-0 lead. Wilcox then tallied her second RBI of the game and the seventh of her career in the next at-bat, as AU staked a double-digit lead.
 
With the Gators facing the run rule in the bottom of the fifth, Wilcox slammed the door shut, setting Sage down in order to end the game in five. Wilcox (13-3) picked up her 13^th victory of the season, allowing just the two hits in five innings pitched, striking out 12 batters in the record-setting shutout performance.
 
Offensively, the Saxons tallied 13 hits, with Lugo, Mejia, O'Toole, Saucedo, and sophomore outfielder Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) each tallying two hits.
 
GAME TWO
Buoyed by the game one performance, the Saxons came out torrid at the plate to begin game two. RBI singles by Wells and O'Toole with two outs gave AU a 2-0 first-inning lead. In the second inning, the Saxons broke out once again with a five-run inning. Sophomore pitcher and game two starter Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) led the inning with a single to left center field, before Carrillo walked to put Hatch in scoring position. Junior outfielder Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) then reached on an error at left field, scoring both Hatch and Carrillo as the Saxons doubled their lead. The next batter, Mejia, scored Guitron with a single to left center giving the Saxons a 5-0 lead. Two batters later, Mejia scored on an O'Toole RBI knock to left center field. The rally finished with a sacrifice fly by Ceja, as the Saxons took a 7-0 lead.
 
Sage got on the board in game two with a run in the bottom of the fourth. With two runners on with two outs, Lauren Salmonese hit an RBI single to left center as the Saxon lead was cut to six at 7-1. AU responded in the top of the fifth, beginning the scoring with a pinch-hit RBI single by first year infielder Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union). A few batters later, Guitron scored two runners with an RBI single to right field, giving. The Saxons a commanding 10-1 lead.
 
The Gators weren't finished, responding in the bottom of the frame with a two-out, two run home run by Emily Agate, her second of the season. Leading 10-3 in the sixth, the Saxons added to the lead once more, with Sage errors leading to a pair of AU runs. Lugo finished the scoring with an RBI on a fielder's choice, as the guests took a 14-3 lead. The Saxons put the finishing touches on game two in the bottom of the sixth, as Wilcox retired the side to finish off the sweep.
 
Hatch saw her scoreless streak end at 21 innings, but still had a fine performance in the victory, improving to 6-1 on the season. She finished her outing with just one earned run off three hits allowed, striking out six Gators in four innings pitched. Wilcox came on in relief for the final two innings, allowing two earned runs but striking out three batters.
 
The Saxons had a balanced offensive performance in the game two victory, with Mejia, O'Toole, and Hatch combining to tally six of the Saxons' 10 hits.