ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team swept Utica University on Saturday in a home, Hotdog Day doubleheader, highlighted by a game two shutout, mercy-rule win from Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons (18-10, 8-2 Empire 8) gave the Pioneers (15-9, 4-2 Empire 8) their first conference loss with a close, 8-7 win in the opening game of the day. They then shut out the Pioneers in the nightcap, 11-0 in five innings, making it a second Kendall Steward (Kennedy, NY/Randolph) shutout of the season after the Saxons went a full seven innings for an 11-0 win over SUNY Geneseo at the end of March.
 
"What a great way to end a big conference weekend," Assistant Coach Cassie Reed said. "We knew Utica was going to be a tough team to beat, but our offense stepped up big time today! We also had stellar performances on the mound. This is the AUSB we like to see, and we will be taking this momentum into our games next week. Swords forward!"
 
Game One
Alfred University – 8 | Utica University – 7
 
The Saxons started off strong with an early 2-0 lead at the end of the first inning as Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) sent Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) home with a sacrificed flyout to right field. Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) tacked on the last run of the inning after the Utica catcher tried to pick her off at third and made a bad throw.
 
AU plastered four runs on the scoreboard in the second inning as Wells hit a homer over the right field fence to bring home Jade Rhys Babas (Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriquez), making it a 4-0 lead. Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) tacked on two more runs when she sent Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) and Gatza home shortly after with a double to right field for a 6-0 lead.
 
Utica scored their first run of the day in the top of the third before they opened the flood gates in the fourth inning, totaling five runs to tie the game, 6-6.
 
Neto re-established the Saxon lead and drove in the game-winning run when she singled up the middle in the bottom of the fourth inning, bringing home Vidal for the seventh run and Remm for the deciding, eighth run. Utica scored once more in the top of the fifth, but a Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) defense shut the Utica bats down for the remainder of the game for the win.
 
Neto was a perfect, 4-for-4 from the plate in game one (and ultimately, the entire day, going 6-for-6) while posting two doubles and four RBI. Gatza was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Wells, Remm and Vidal scored two runs while Wells had two RBI. Bennett totaled five strikeouts in the game.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 11 | Utica University – 0
 
The nightcap started off scoreless through the first two and a half innings. Wells scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the third inning when Remm singled to left field. Vidal also scored on the play to make it a 2-0 lead. Kody Watson (Flagstaff, AZ/Coconino) singled to left field to bring home Remm, making the game a 3-0 Saxon advantage. After the Steward-led defense held Utica to sixth, scoreless inning in a row, AU blasted in eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to allow the Saxons to pack the bat bag.
 
Remm singled again, just like in the first inning, to bring home Wells for a solo RBI. Vidal then scored, followed by Remm and Gatza from first base after Neto doubled to left field for her third double of the day. That play gave AU the 7-0 lead. Pitcher, Steward recorded her first collegiate RBI when she was hit-by-pitch with bases loaded, bringing home Neto and then registered her first collegiate run when Wells doubled to left field later in the inning. Wells' double drove home Brielle Wark (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) and Watson but a bad throw to third base in an attempt to get Steward out allowed her to score the 11^th run of the game.
 
Neto and Remm both had three RBI and Well added two while Wells, Vidal and Remm each scored two runs. The Saxons totaled 13 hits in the game while Steward only gave up three hits to the Pioneers.
 
The Saxons will next have a short break before hosting Rochester Institute of Technology on Tuesday, April 23 at 3:00pm and 5:00pm in a non-conference doubleheader at Harrington Field.