ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team swept Elmira College in Empire 8 action on Thursday evening from Harrington Field as Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) broke the school record in pitching saves, recording one in each outing.
 
The Saxons (17-12, 8-2 Empire 8) and the Soaring Eagles (9-12, 2-7 Empire 8) batted it out in the opening game with the hosts taking the 10-9 win. Elmira made a comeback in the top of the seventh in game two but with Bennett's second save of the day, closed out a 6-4 Saxon win. Bennett now has four saves on the season, surpassing Shannon Schaefer '18 and her 2015 season of three saves. Schaefer still holds the career saves mark at five.
 
"The girls were awesome tonight. Have a little adversity this week but they persevered and Mikaela was awesome!" Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "Our girls brought their bats today and will need them again tomorrow! I was very pleased with the offense, but we need to clean up some defensive stuff as we move forward and look to compete with top teams! Those are uncharacteristic mistakes for us so we will clean them up and look forward to playing Keuka tomorrow."
 
Game One
Alfred University – 10  |  Elmira College – 9
 
The Saxons got out to an early 3-1 lead after the first inning with a Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) two-run home run over the left field fence, bringing Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) home. Lugo totaled four stolen bases between both games to jump into the Top-25 All-Time NCAA Division III Career Stolen Bases list as she now has 125 career base thefts. Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union) grounded out to the Elmira second baseman but still earned the RBI as Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) tripled up the middle prior and was able to cross home on the smack.
 
The Soaring Eagles clawed back in the top of the third with three more runs, taking their first lead of the day, 4-3. Neto singled in the bottom of the inning to push Wells home from third for the tying, 4-4 run.
 
AU's scoring opened up again in the bottom of the fifth inning with four more runs, making it an 8-4 home lead. Wells got her third RBI of the game with a single up the middle to bring Lugo home from second. Neto hit a double to right center field that scored both Wells and Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley), making it 7-4 in favor of AU. Neto then crossed home plate again when Isabella Orozco (Studio City, CA/Village Christian) hit a single to center.
 
Elmira responded with five guns in the top of the sixth as the fifth run to give the Soaring Eagles their second lead of the day was scored off a single to right field. The batter was out on the play as Neto threw to Orozco for the attempt at home to keep the game tied 8-8. Orozco then threw to Lugo at second base for the tag as the Elmira batter was attempting to take second on the throw.
 
Lugo was walked in the bottom of the sixth, allowing her the opportunity to steal her third base of the day. Wells hit another double to send Lugo home, tying the game, 9-9. During her next stay in the batter's box, Neto was walked but ball number four was in the dirt that allowed Wells to score what would prove to be the game-winning run.
 
Bennett checked in for Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) in the top of the seventh where she walked the first batter on a full count before making the next three Elmira batters swing at strike three, closing out the game and picking up her third save of the season. Perez had a game-high six strikeouts in the game.
 
Wells and Neto were perfect from the boxes as Wells was 4-for-4 with four RBI and four runs. Neto was 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs while walking once.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 6  |  Elmira College – 4
 
The Saxons had the momentum for six innings after scoring four runs in the first and then solo scores in the fourth and fifth innings. Orozco's defense was stellar all day as she remains spotless on the season. She had two big foul pop-up catches behind the plate including a diving grab with runners at first and third, setting up a double play ground out to Lugo at short stop, to O'Toole at second base and then to Wells at first base, closing out the inning without a Soaring Eagle run.
 
In the bottom of the first, Wells singled up the middle that brough Lugo home. Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) reached first on an error by Elmira's third baseman that also allowed the opportunity for Wells to round third and reach home for the 2-0 lead. Orozco singled for two RBI, closing out the scoring spree in the first inning with Mejia and Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) stepping on home base on the play for the 4-0 lead.
 
O'Toole flew out into a sacrificed fly in the bottom of the fourth that scored pinch runner, Gillian Flint (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) who was running for Orozco after her second hit of the game. Orozco was an impressive 3-for-3 in the batters' box as her third hit was a single to left field that drove Darby McEnery (Corona, CA/Norco) home from second base.
 
Flint's run was ultimately the game-winning score as Elmira scored four in the top of the seventh inning before Bennett came in for Perez. Facing runners on first and second, Bennett walked the first batter to load the bases before striking out the next batter, looking, picking up the school record fourth save of the season.
 
Perez tied for the game-high in strikeouts with three. Orozco had the most hits in game two and the most RBI with three.
 
The Saxons will next travel to Keuka College for an Empire 8 double-header on Friday, April 22 with games starting at 3:00pm and 5:00pm.