CLERMONT, FL – The Alfred University softball team split its final two games of Spring Break, falling to #1 nationally-ranked and defending NCAA Division III Champions, Trine University, and defeating Wittenberg University in the 10^th and final matchup in Florida.
 
The Saxons (5-5, 0-0 Empire 8) were held scoreless against perennial powerhouse, Trine, falling 10-0 in five innings. They turned it around in the finale with a seven-inning, 11-3 victory over Wittenberg.
 
"AUSB ended their spring break trip on a high with an impressive 11-3 win over the Tigers," Assistant Coach Cassie Reed said. "It was great to see the team bounce back from a loss game one and put some runs up early game two! We played a defensively-sound game with Megan [Bennett] leading us on the mound. What a great way to end the week & I'm excited to see what this team can do this year."
 
Game One (Five Innings)
Alfred University – 0 | Trine University – 10
 
Trine scored two runs in the first and one run in the second inning as the designated visitors. The defense, led by first-year pitcher, Kendall Steward (Kennedy, NY/Randolph) held the Thunder scoreless in the third inning before four runs in the fourth came in to make it a 7-0 lead for Trine. After another two runs were scored in the fifth inning, making it a 9-0 lead for Trine, Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) came into the pitching circle in relief to close out for the Saxons, giving up one more run.
 
Paris Guzman (Santa Fe Springs, CA/Santa Fe) was walked in the bottom of the fifth inning to ruin the Thunder's chance of a perfect game as Saxon bats were struck out 12 times.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 11 | Wittenberg University  – 3
 
The Saxons scored first in the top of the first inning with Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) scoring after Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) grounded out to the second base player for Wittenberg. Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) scored during the next at-bat as Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) doubled to left field.
 
Another three Saxon runs were put up on the scoreboard in the next inning as Vidal singled down the right field line, while facing a two-out situation, to drive home Isabella Orozco (Burbank, CA/Village Christian) and Jade Rhys Babas (Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriguez) for the 4-0 lead. Wells tripled to center right center field to bring home Vidal in as the last run for AU in the inning, making it a 5-0 lead.
 
The Tigers clawed back with three runs in the bottom of the third inning but proved to be nothing more than a cat scratch as AU tacked on a total of six scores in three of the last four innings to close out the contest.
 
Gatza hit her second home run of the season to bring home Wells in the fourth inning, making it 7-3. Kody Watson (Flagstaff, AZ/Cocolino) sprinted home on a passed ball by the Wittenberg catcher in the fifth inning for an 8-3 lead. Gatza doubled in the top of the seventh to score both Babas and Wells for the 10-3 lead, right before Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) doubled down the left field line to bring Gatza home for the final score of the 2024 AUSB Florida Spring Break Training Trip.
 
Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) went the distance for AU, striking out three batters while giving up five hits inside of the pitching circle.
 
The Saxons next games still will not be in the state of New York as they will travel to Pennsylvania to face the Warriors of Lycoming College for a non-conference double-header on Tuesday, March 26 at 3:00 and 5:00pm.