ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team honored its six seniors on Saturday afternoon in between a game one, six inning win and a game two, comeback win over Nazareth College in Empire 8 action from Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons (13-10, 5-1 Empire 8) defeated the Golden Flyers (9-11, 3-3 Empire 8) on a walk-off, bottom of the sixth double in game one, 9-1. They then fought back from a 3-1 deficit to win a 7-5 decision in the nightcap. "We were happy to get two wins for our seniors," Graduate Assistant Coach Cassie Reed said. "Two conference wins are huge for us this point in the season. Our pitchers had a heck of an outing & kept us in both games. Our offense ended up coming through when we needed them to. We're looking forward to playing a good Ithaca team on Tuesday to get us ready for Houghton on Thursday."
 
AU celebrated the careers of their six seniors as the double-header was the Saxons' final home set on a Saturday, with all remaining home double-headers slated for a Tuesday and two Thursdays. Gillian Flint (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford), Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy), Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills), Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley), Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) and Mara Moore (Torrance, CA/West High) were all honored in celebrations that occurred in between games.
 
Game One
Alfred University – 9  |  Nazareth College – 1
 
AU scored in every inning except for the first as Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) doubled to center field to bring home Mejia for the ninth run, and the mercy rule run, posting an eight-run lead after the fifth inning.
 
Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) picked up the win in the pitching circle as she struck out five batters while only giving up four hits, one walk and one wild pitch.
 
Two seniors combined for the opening score of the game as Moore hit a single to center field that brought O'Toole home from third as she got there on a triple to right field. The Saxons scored what would be the game-winning run in the bottom of the third when O'Toole walked but on the fourth ball, Naz's catcher dropped it that allowed Mejia to score on the passed ball. Molly Lawson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills) drove home another run in the third when she singled to center field to bring Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) across home plate.
 
Nazareth scored in the top of the fourth with a foul flyout to right fielder, Guitron, who threw to Moore who relayed the ball to Lugo at second base for the double play, ending the inning after the lone run crossed home. The Saxons responded in the bottom of the inning when Lugo smacked a triple down the left field line and then got home when Guitron grounded out to short stop.
 
O'Toole hit her second triple of the game to score Neto in the fifth before scoring on a passed ball herself in the same inning, making it a 6-1 lead. Flint, Guitron and Mejia all scored in the sixth to close out the game.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 7  |  Nazareth College – 5
 
Neto was an impressive 4-for-4 in the nightcap with three RBI and one run while O'Toole continued to add to a strong batting day, going 1-for-2, adding to her 2-for-2, two triples performance in game one. Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) struck six batters out as she picked up her fourth win of the week.
 
AU got up early with a 1-0 lead after Mejia sacrificed bunted Lugo home in the bottom of the first inning. It was responded with three runs (two unearned) in the third inning by Nazareth for the Golden Flyers' first lead of the day.
 
The Saxons went on a scoring spree in the fifth inning, totaling five runs. Isabella Orozco (Studio City, CA/Village Christian) got safely home on a bases loaded situation when Mejia grounded to Naz's second baseman who made a short throw to home. Wells scored during the next at-bat off of a wild pitch. Neto doubled to center field to bring home both Mejia and Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) and then got home when Raygan Wescott (Taft, CA/Taft Union) singled down the right field line for the game-winning score.
 
The Saxons tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Neto singled to bring Carrillo home. Nazareth pushed back in the top of the seventh with two runs, but a flyout to Flint closed out any hopes of a full comeback.