CANANDAIGUA, NY – The Alfred University softball team claimed two wins in an Empire 8 matchup with Keuka College on Monday evening from the Finger Lakes Community College softball field.
 
The Saxons (14-10, 4-2 Empire 8) mercy-ruled the Wolves (7-12, 3-3 Empire 8) in the first game, 8-0 in five innings. Then, they claimed a 3-1 win in the nightcap as Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) picked up both wins on the day inside of the pitching circle.
 
Game One
Alfred University – 8 | Keuka College – 0
 
Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) scored what would go on to be the game-winning run in the top of the first inning when Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) tripled to right field for her first of three RBI of the game. Wells would cross home plate moments later when Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) singled pass the third base player.
 
The Saxons scored three unearned runs in the top of the second, the first being Jade Rhys Babas (Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriguez) on bases-loaded when an error by the Keuka short stop allowed Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada) to be safe at first. Kody Watson (Flagstaff, AZ/Coconino) and Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) made it a 5-0 lead the next play when a ball hit by Neto was mishandled by the left fielder.
 
Wells drove home both Watson and Vidal in the third inning on a single to make it a 7-0 game, picking up her second and third RBI of the game. Gatza scored the final run to initiate the run-rule in the top of the fourth inning as Paris Guzman (Santa Fe Springs, CA/Santa Fe) singled to center field to send her home.
 
Bennett retired batters seven times in the opening game while only giving up three hits.
 
The Saxon base-runners recorded a total of five stolen bases in the opener.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 3 | Keuka College – 1
 
Bennett pitched another five innings while retiring batters five times, giving up five hits and one earned run. She is now 10-3 on the season and 3-1 in Empire 8 play. Bennett also has three shutout wins on the year. Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) came in for relief to pitch the final two innings and to pick up her first collegiate pitching save. She struck out one batter in her two innings to close out the sweep.
 
Gatza was the first to register a run in the nightcap when Guzman singled to center field in the top of the fourth inning. Keuka tied it up with a sacrificed flyout to Remm in center field, bringing home a runner from third.
 
Remm then tripled to left field, catching the defense sleeping and too close as she popped it right over the outstretched arm of the left fielder, sending the rolling ball almost to the wall. Watson was able to score what would be the game-winning run on the play. Gatza singled back to the left field to send Remm home in the same inning for the third Saxon run of the game.
 
Gatza had back-to-back games with doubles while Remm joined Wells as having a triple on the day. Remm also stole a base in game two.
 
The Saxons will next revert back to non-conference play when they host the Bengals of Buffalo State College on Wednesday, April 17 with the first game slotted for 3:00pm and the second for 5:00pm.