KEUKA PARK, NY – The Alfred University softball team swept Keuka College in Empire 8 action on the road Friday evening to increase its win streak to five with all five being in conference.
 
The Saxons (19-12, 10-2 Empire 8) applied the mercy rule to the Wolves (1-13, 0-4 Empire 8) in game one, winning 8-0 in five innings behind a big scoring run in the top of the fifth. In the nightcap, the game was tied after an in-the-park homer and an out-of-the-park home run from AU and a pair of unearned runs from Keuka. The Saxons scored two in the top of the seventh to take the 4-2 win and series sweep.
 
AU's sweeping of Keuka also clinched the Saxons a spot in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament. The Saxons are the first and only team to clinch a spot in the Empire 8 Tournament.
 
"Every conference win is important and we pulled out two more today!" Graduate Assistant Coaches Julie Graf and Cassie Reed said. "Mikaela and Bella did a great job as our battery, taking on a lot of innings in the past 48 hours. We had clutch hits when we needed them and are proud of our squad for competing hard all day."
 
Game One
Alfred University – 8  |  Keuka College – 0
 
Not a single Saxon was struck-out in game one as they totaled eight combined hits against two Wolves pitchers. Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) picked up another win inside of the pitcher's circle, giving up three hits and one walk while striking out one batter in the shutout victory.
 
Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) led the offense with a 2-for-3 performance from the box.
 
AU got on the board in the first inning when Lugo stole home as the Keuka catcher attempted to pick-off Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) as she stole to second base. That run would ultimately be the game-winner as the Saxon defense, led by Perez kept the Keuka runners stranded on-base.
 
In the fourth inning, Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) recorded the first RBI of the day as she brought home Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union) and Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy) off a double down the left field line, making it a 3-0 lead.
 
The Saxons closed out the game with a five-run scoring spree in the top of the fifth inning. Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) doubled to left field to score Molly Lawson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills) and Lugo. Wescott earned an RBI when she reached first on a throwing error by Keuka's third baseman, bringing home Wells and Neto. O'Toole scored the eighth and mercy rule-engaging run on a dropped, potential third out, ball by the Wolves' first baseman.
 
Keuka lined out to Mejia, popped up to Lugo and grounded out to Lawson in the bottom of the fifth to close out the game and extend AU's win streak to four.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 4  |  Keuka College – 2
 
Lugo hit a long shot to the fence in the first at-bat of the game as she utilized her speed to round first, second and third base, beating out the throw to home for the 1-0 lead. Keuka scored its first runs of the day in the bottom of the third, scoring off of back-to-back doubles. Neither run was earned against Perez as the first batter of the inning reached on a Saxon error, proceeded by a line out to Lugo and a pop fly to Mejia.
 
The Saxons tied the game at 2-2 when Wells hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth. The Saxons went on to load the bases but a force out at the plate and a ground out to short stop ended the appealing scoring situation.
 
O'Toole scored the game-winning run and Mejia tacked on an insurance run when Wescott singled through the right side of the field, bringing both Saxons home for the 4-2 lead. Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) came into the pitching circle in the bottom of the seventh, striking out two as the third out was a fly out to O'Toole at second base. Bennett was credited with her fifth save of the season, adding to her already-established single-season record and tying her for the AU career record along with Shannon Schaefer '18. Perez earned her ninth win of the season as she struck out one batter in the win. No Saxons, again, were fanned by Keuka's pitching corps.
 
The Saxons will next travel to Penn State Behrend on Wednesday, April 27 for a non-conference double-header with game times of 3:00pm and 5:00pm.