ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team split a pair of non-conference games with Penn State Behrend on Tuesday evening, from a snowy Harrington Field as both teams contributed to 34 runs scored on the wild weather evening.
 
The Saxons (12-10-1, 5-1 Empire 8) and the Lions (11-13, 5-1 AMCC) totaled 29 runs in the opening game, battling cold temperatures, strong winds that favored the batters and even snow. Behrend came out on top despite a last-minute scoring push by the Saxons, winning game one, 15-14. In the nightcap, AU claimed the 'W' with a five-run shutout over the visitors.
 
Game One
Alfred University – 14 | PS-Behrend – 15
 
The Saxons scored in every inning except for one, while Penn State Behrend had three scoreless innings, coming away with the win after an eight-run fifth inning. In the final two innings afterwards, AU outscored the Lions, 8-5 but it just fell short.
 
Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) had two home runs in the game, tying Behrend's first baseman for the game. Ashley Lugo (Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills) had two doubles while Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) and Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) both contributed one each. AU led the way in stolen bases with three in the game, two from Lugo and one from Gillian Flint (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford). Both teams had 13 hits while defensively, AU had two errors and PSB had eight.
 
Wells led the box score with a 2-for-4 batting performance with five RBI and three runs. Remm had three RBI and Gatza had two. Joining Wells in the runs category, Lugo crossed home three times while Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) scored twice.
 
The Saxons had the early lead as Remm singled to the shortstop to bring Wells home. Penn State took the lead with a two-run homer in the top of the third, taking advantage of the strong gusts of wind that shoveled fly balls to the outfield. Isabella Carrillo (Van Nuys, CA/Birmingham Community Charter) tied it up when she scored after Lugo reached first on a throwing error. Lugo then retook the lead when she stole second base, advanced to third on a bad throw from the Lion catcher and was quick enough to reach home before the ball came in.
 
AU tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth, making it 5-2 in its favor. Both runs were unearned as Molly Lawson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Trabuco Hills) reach first on a throwing error by the third baseman, allowing O'Toole the opportunity to score. Carrillo reached on a throwing error by the second baseman just after, sending Flint across the plate.
 
Things got grim as the Behrend bats put up eight runs in the top of the fifth while AU pushed back with a Lugo score in the bottom of the inning, placing a 10-6 deficit in front of the Saxons. Despite the Lions scoring three more in the top of the sixth, making the lead 13-6, the Saxons pushed back with a two-run homer from Wells in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, another Lion home run put two more runs on the board, making it 15-8.
 
AU would close the gap and almost have another walk-off situation from Harrington Field as Gatza drove home Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) and O'Toole with a double to right center field. Wells brought Gatza home as well as Lawson with her second home run of the game, bringing the score to 15-13. Remm scored what would ultimately be the last run of the game, driving Lugo home with a double to left field. Neto sent a ball just after towards left field, where the Behrend defender bobbled the ball twice before securing it for the win.
 
Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) picked up the loss as she struck out six batters but gave up eight hits and seven earned runs.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 5 | PS-Behrend – 0
 
Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) earned the win in game two, throwing 109 pitches for six strikeouts and seven hits. She hit one batter and had two wild pitches as she earned her first shutout of the year.
 
Remm was a perfect, 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs in the closing game. Gatza was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run, hitting the game's lone home run. Carrillo slapped her first collegiate triple in the game as she poked a pitch out to right field with the outfields closed in, expecting a bunt or dribble.
 
Remm drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the first inning, hitting a double to right field to bring Wells home. She then crossed the plate, herself when O'Toole singled to left field. O'Toole had an easy jog to home when Gatza absolutely smashed a shot not only over left center field fence, but well past the bleachers, giving AU the early, 4-0 advantage. Neto singled to right center field to bring in another insurance run with Remm going home in the bottom of the third inning.
 
All three of Remm's hits were doubles.
 
The Saxons will not have time to rest as they will next travel to Buffalo State on Wednesday, April 19 for non-conference double-headers at 3pm and 5pm.