WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Alfred University softball team had its first games on the East Coast of the 2023 season, winning the opening game against King's College (PA) on Wednesday evening before falling short in the nightcap.
 
The Saxons (2-6, 0-0 Empire 8) won game one, 3-1 before they were edged, 1-0 in the closing game, despite out-hitting the Monarchs (7-5, 1-1 MAC Freedom), 8-4 in the nightcap. "We hate to waste a good pitching performance but we did that in game two," Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "Had some good individual and team efforts today but we need to be more consistent from top to bottom."
 
Game One
Alfred University – 3. |. King's College – 1
 
The Saxons scored first to break the 0-0 tie in the top of the fourth inning when Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) singled to right center field to bring home Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel). King's tied the game in the bottom of the inning.
 
Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) drove in the game-winning score and insurance run in the top of the sixth when she mashed a home run to left field, well beyond the 220-225-yard fence. Her home run brought home Remm for her second run of the game.
 
Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) went the distance in the circle, pitching all 7.0 innings, giving up eight hits and one earned run while striking out seven batters. Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) was the only Alfred batter to register more than one hit with two in the game.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 0. |. King's College – 1
 
In the second game, Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) pitched all 6.0 innings and only gave up four hits and no earned runs while striking out six batters. She also registered one of the Saxons' eight hits in the nightcap with the offensive efforts being led by Remm with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate.
 
AU was in good scoring position in the top of the seventh inning, facing a 1-0 deficit after a first inning score by the Monarch's. The Saxons got Lugo and Wells on base with two outs but the game came to a close after an infield pop-up.
 
The Saxons will next have the first home event with a single game against Alfred State College on Sunday, March 26 at 2:00pm.