ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team won a pair of non-conference games over visiting Fredonia on Monday evening, closing out the regular season from Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons (26-12, 12-2 Empire 8) defeated the Blue Devils (15-23, 8-10 SUNYAC), 5-2 in the opening game of the doubleheader and then walked away with a 7-0 shutout in the nightcap. AU ends the regular season with a record of 10-2 at Harrington Field.
 
Game One
Alfred University – 5 | Fredonia State – 2
 
The Saxons scored four runs in the bottom of the second that would go on to be enough for the win. Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) scored the first run of the day when Delaney Prather (North East, PA/North East) singled to the pitcher. Kody Watson (Flagstaff, AZ/Coconino) crossed home plate after Prather stole second base, giving Watson to sneak home from third base.
 
Alexa Woluewich (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream Central) singled to the pitcher and a bad throw by the second base player allowed her to gain an extra base. The throwing error also gave Prather the opening to run home and score for the 3-0 lead. Woluewich scored on the next play when the Blue Devil pitcher dropped a pop fly for the 4-0 advantage.
 
Paris Guzman (Santa Fe Springs, CA/Santa Fe) doubled to left center in the bottom of the third to bring home Watson for the insurance run, making it 5-0 before Fredonia scored twice in the top of the sixth inning.

Kendall Steward (Kennedy, NY/Randolph) recorded the win while striking out batters six times in five innings, giving up four hits and one walk with no runs. Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) came in for relief in the sixth inning and struck out one batter.
 
Prather stole bases three times in the game. Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel), Watson and Guzman all recorded doubles in the game.
 
Game Two
Alfred University – 7 | Fredonia State – 0
 
Remm singled through the left side of the Fredonia defense in the bottom of the third inning to bring home Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) for what proved to be the game-winning run.
 
Guzman began the scoring spree in the fourth inning that put the Saxons far ahead when she hit a home run over the right field fence to bring home Watson for the 3-0 lead. Wells tripled to right field, scoring Jade Rhys Babas (Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriquez) for the 4-0 lead. Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) pinch hit for Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) right after and got on base from a walk. Vidal reentered and then stole second. On the same play, the Fredonia catcher checked Wells at third and threw a bad pass to the third baseman, allowing Wells to turn and score and for Vidal to get to third. During that part of the play, the ball came back home in an attempt to get Wells out at home. After being called safe, the catcher threw back to third base to try to get Vidal out, but once again, the pass was high that gave the speedy Saxon time to turn and beat out the throw home for the 6-0 lead.
 
Wells singled in the bottom of the sixth inning to bring home Babas for the final run of the regular season. Babas had two doubles in the game to along with Wells's triple and Guzman's homer. Watson had three stolen bases in the game and was accompanied by Wells and Vidal each stealing once.
 
Perez got the start and struck out one batter in three innings, giving up four hits. Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) had six hits off of her while she struck out batters four times while picking up the win.
 
The No. 2 Saxons head into postseason with a game against No. 3 Utica University on Thursday, May 9 at 1:30pm during the Empire 8 Softball Championship Tournament at St. John Fisher University.