ALFRED, NY – In a recent addition to the 2023 schedule, the Alfred University softball team defeated its neighbors, Alfred State College, 10-2 in six innings on Sunday afternoon from AU's Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons (3-6, 0-0 Empire 8) scored runs in all but the fourth inning while only allowing the Pioneers (2-11, 0-0 AMCC) to cross home plate twice in the top of the third. "We had a really solid outing against A-State today," Assistant Coach Cassie Reed said. "As a team, we racked up 16 hits against them, scoring 10 runs in six innings. We have a couple of things to clean up, but this was a great win to get us ready for our first home double-header against Geneseo on Wednesday!"
 
The 16 hits are the most since 2021 in a double-header with Elmira College.
 
AU had 11 different players register hits on the afternoon with Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) leading the way with a perfect, 3-for-3 plate showing. She also tied her career-high in single game stolen bases with four. In total, the Saxons stole bases nine times in six innings for a new school record, breaking the record of eight, accomplished multiple times with the last one being in the 2021 season at Nazareth College (AU stole base 15 times in that double-header).
 
The Saxons scored what would ultimately be the game-winning run in the bottom of the first inning as they scored three runs in the set. Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) drove in the first run with a single that gave Lugo the opportunity to cross home plate. Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) flew out to center field that brought Remm home for the 2-0 advantage. Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) drove in the third run of the game with Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) stepping on home plate.
 
AU tacked on another three runs in the second inning while keeping the Pioneers scoreless. Gillian Flint (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) drove Molly Lawson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills) home with a single before crossing home plate herself off a single from Lugo, making it 5-0 in favor of the host Alfred team. Neto flew out to left field for the second sacrificed flyball of the game, bringing Lugo home.
 
A-State scored twice in the top of the third with back-to-back doubles to narrow the margin, 6-2. The Saxons responded with a run scored by Alexa Woluewich (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream) in the bottom of the inning off of a Flint single. Both teams would not score a run in the fourth inning.
 
AU added more security runs as they looked to end the game early. Lugo singled to bring home Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) in the bottom of the fifth, making it 8-2. Neto hit her first home run of the season for a solo score, crushing it over the left field fence and fans for the 9-2 lead.
 
Lawson, with all of the bases hosting a Saxon runner, singled to left field to bring home Ty Thomas (Bolingbrook, IL/Bolingbrook), initiating the eight-after-five, mercy rule and ending the game.
 
Other notable performances at the plate were Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) as she had one plate appearance and one hit, but that one hit was her 100^th career hit with only her third year under way. Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area), the left-handed pitcher for AU, went in to pinch hit in the sixth inning and recorded her first collegiate hit, singling to left field to advance Thomas and Woluewich on the bases before Lawson closed up shop.
 
Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) recorded the win in the pitching circle as she threw in the first 2.0 innings, striking out one batter and giving up only one hit. Vanessa Reed (San Pedro, CA/San Pedro) subbed in to pitch another 2.0 innings and striking out three batters while giving up three hits and the two earned runs. Thomas finished the game in the circle, walking two Pioneer players but gave up no hits.
 
The Saxons will next host SUNY Geneseo for a non-conference double-header at Harrington Field on Wednesday, March 29. Game times are listed at 3:00pm and 5:00pm.