ALFRED, NY – With the regular season in the books, the Alfred University softball team are poised towards capturing the program's second Empire 8 title. The quest begins this Saturday, as the third-seeded Saxons host sixth-seeded Elmira in the first round game at noon.
 
Live video and stats for Saturday's contest are available at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/alfred/. Fans of both teams are allowed to attend, with limitations. The Empire 8 visiting spectator policy is available here (DOCX).
 
Alfred comes into the postseason with a 27-8 record, and a 15-5 mark in Empire 8 contests. The Saxons are in the postseason for the 13^th time in program history, looking to win its first conference tournament title since the 2015 season. As a team, the Saxons lead the E8 with 3.21 stolen bases per game, a mark that ranks sixth in all of Division III. They also lead the league in on base percentage and strikeout to walk ratio.
 
Individually, junior Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) is second nationally with an Empire 8 and AU-record 49 stolen bases in 51 attempts. She is batting .413 with a 1.106 OPS, 44 runs scored, 50 hits, 17 extra base hits (including two homers) and 27 RBI. Junior outfielder Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) is right behind with a .405 batting average and a team-high 28 RBI, while first year Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) is batting .379 with a 1.041 OPS to go along with two homers and 26 RBI. Junior infielder/outfielder Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) came on later in the season and excelled, batting .474 in 57 at-bats for the Saxons. She's sixth on the team with 16 RBI, despite playing in just 21 games.
 
On the mound, graduate Jessica Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) is 14-3 with a 1.40 earned run average, 0.75 WHIP and 195 strikeouts to just 10 walks in 115 1/3 innings. Wilcox, who surpassed 500 career strikeouts earlier in the season, is among the national leaders in strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio. Wilcox holds AU records in strikeouts in a game, season, and career, season and career shutouts, and career victories. Joining her on the staff is the duo of sophomore Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) and first year Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area). Hatch sports a 7-2 record, posting a 3.13 earned run average in 53 2/3 innings pitched. She also posted an impressive streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings during the season. Bennett is 7-2 with a 2.57 earned run average and an impressive 6.71 strikeouts to walk ratio.
 
Elmira (6-20, 5-15 Empire 8) is in the Empire 8 Tournament for the fifth time in program history and first time since 2013. Felicity Brockhuizen leads the Soaring Eagles with a .315 batting average. Jillian Cortez and Katie Distefano both have two homers and 11 RBI to lead the team. Ally Barr has seen the majority of innings in the pitching circle with six wins, 12 complete games and 113 2/3 innings pitched in 2021.
 
Alfred and Elmira will meet for the second time in Empire 8 Tournament history. Elmira won the first contest by a 3-2 score in 10 innings on May 3, 2013.

2021 Empire 8 Softball Championship Schedule
 
Empire 8 First Round – Saturday, May 8
#6 Elmira College at #3 Alfred University - 12 p.m.
#5 Utica College at #4 Keuka College - 2 p.m.

Empire 8 Double Elimination Championship (Hosted by St. John Fisher College)
Tuesday, May 11
Game 1 – Winner of #4 Keuka/#5 Utica at #1 St. John Fisher College – 11 a.m.
Game 2 – Winner of #3 Alfred/#6 Elmira vs. #2 Russell Sage College – 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Losing Team of Game 1 vs. Losing Team of Game 2 (elimination game) – 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 13
Game 4 – Winning Team from Game 1 vs. Winning Team of Game 2 – 12 p.m.
Game 5 – Winning Team from Game 3 vs. Losing Team from Game 4 (elimination game) – 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 15 
Game 6 – Championship Game 1 (Winner of game 4 vs. winner of Game 5) – possible champion to be crowned – 12 p.m.
Game 7 – Championship Game 2 (if necessary) – 2:30 p.m.