ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team added two more mercy-rule victories to the season, now totaling 10 after a pair of Empire 8 wins over Hartwick College on Sunday from Harrington Field.
 
The Saxons (17-5, 8-2 Empire 8) shutout the Hawks (6-16, 1-7 Empire 8) in game one, 8-0 before taking a 9-1 win in the second game, ending the Saxons with a 5-1 record on the week in Empire 8 action.
 
Game One – Five Innings
Alfred University – 8 | Hartwick College – 0
 
AU scored in every inning except the first, ending the game with a walk-off on an error by Hartwick's second base player when Ty Thomas (Bolingbrook, IL/Bolingbrook) sent a ball between her legs and into the outfield. The error opened the opportunity for Sabrina Diaz (West Palm Beach, FL/Forest Hill) and Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) to score the seventh and eighth runs, ending the game. Thomas was credited with two RBI.
 
Alexis Martinez (Anaheim, CA/Woodbridge) scored the first run of the day when Darby McEnery (Corona, CA/Norco) stole second, leaving an opportunity for Martinez to turn on the speed and get home for the 1-0 lead in the second inning.
 
The scoring floodgates opened in the bottom of the third inning for the Saxons as they put four more runs on the board. Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) scored the second run of the day when Molly Whitmyer (Enola, PA/Trinity) singled to right field. Whitmyer reached home, followed by Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) when Kendall Steward (Kennedy, NY/Randolph) doubled to left field for the 4-0 lead. Steward scored off a Neto single through the left side of the Hawks' defense to make it a 5-0 lead before the inning ended.
 
Vidal put one run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when she put down a bunt, got to first safely, but then was able to not only take second base, not only take third base, but to reach home when the Hartwick third base player rocketed the throw to first out to the corner of the field.
 
AU out-hit Hartwick, 11-1 while never giving up more than a single to the Hawks' first base player. Vidal, Gatza, Steward and Neto all recorded doubles in the opening game. Steward tied a career-high with nine strikeouts on the day, only gave up one hit and one walk in 70 pitches.
 
Game Two – Five Innings
Alfred University – 9 | Hartwick College – 1
 
Hartwick managed to put up four hits in the second game while AU totaled nine. One of those nine put the game-winning run on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Neto doubled to left center field to bring Remm and Whitmyer home for the 2-0 lead. Remm tripled in the bottom of the second inning to score Eileen Hein (Chicago, IL/Loyola Academy), Delaney Prather (North East, PA/North East) and Martinez. Whitmyer followed with a single to the shortstop, sending Remm home to make it a 6-0 lead. Hartwick loaded the bases and then walked Paris Guzman (Santa Fe Springs, CA/Santa Fe) to make it 7-0 before the inning came to a close.
 
Remm recorded a sacrificed fly when she sent a shot to center field in the bottom of the third. The play gave Martinez time to jog home. Ally Boulger (Mukilteo, WA/Kamiak) grounded out on the next play, but Vidal was able to score as she was on third base prior to the ball being put in play, making it the ninth run for the Saxons. Hartwick scored one run in the top of the fifth, but the then-security run from Vidal was still enough to not need a bottom of the inning for AU.
 
Vidal posted three stolen bases in the game, being joined by Remm, Whitmyer and Martinez all stealing a bag.
 
Loretta Sorochty (Batavia, NY/Notre Dame Batavia) picked up her sixth win of the season with three strikeouts and only two hits given up. She didn't give up a run.
 
The Saxons will next host St. John Fisher University on Wednesday, April 16 for an E8 doubleheader at 3:00pm and 5:00pm at Harrington Field.