ALFRED, NY – The No. 1 seeded Alfred University softball team defeated No. 2 seeded St. John Fisher College, 5-1 on Friday morning to advance to the Empire 8 Softball Championship Game on Saturday.
 
The Saxons (24-13) got the game-winning run in the fourth inning when Alyssa Guitron (San Bernardino, CA/Cajon) doubled to right center field, bringing Mara Moore (Torrance, CA/West High) home from second base, making it a 2-1 game in favor of the hosts who were the designated visitors in the morning game. "A great, all-around team effort today. Very selfless play by all of our girls and our pitching was outstanding again," Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "We got bunts down, our situational hitting was excellent and we had some long, productive at-bats against a very strong pitcher. We are very excited to be playing for the championship tomorrow but I am also just very proud of my team for pushing through this week with finals and softball. And grateful for my coaching staff, who have really put a lot of time and effort into this team to help them succeed and reach their goals!"
 
Guitron had three of the Saxons' four RBI on the day as she drove home Moore in the top of the second inning, being the first run of the day on Friday. Fisher's lone run scored in the next inning as Maddie Donlin grounded out to Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) at short stop, giving Becca Irizarry time to run home, tying the game, 1-1 after three innings.
 
Moore's run in the top of the fourth would ultimately go on to be the game-winner.
 
Guitron grounded out to first base, but gave Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) the time needed to cross home in the top of the six, making it a 3-1 game. The Saxons tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh as Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) belted a triple to right field, bringing home Tatiana Mejia (North Hills, CA/John F. Kennedy), making it 4-1. Neto then walked to get to first and stole second while Moore was at-bat. The attempted throw to second to get Neto out was the distraction needed as Wells was also going for the steal from third as she successfully scored the fifth run of the game.
 
Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) got the win in the circle as she struck out seven batters in five innings, giving up five hits and one earned run with no walks or batters hit. Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) earned another save as she pitched two innings, fanning three batters with no hits.
 
Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley), despite not registering any hits, laid down three precision sacrificed bunts on the day to advance Saxon batters. Guitron was the only batter in the game to have more than one hit as she was 2-for-3 with three RBI.
 
The Saxons and Cardinals (17-18) will square off again Saturday afternoon in the Empire 8 Championship game with first pitch scheduled for noon. No. 4 Nazareth knocked out No. 3 Russell Sage College in Game Four before Fisher eliminated the Golden Flyers in Game Five.