GENESEO, NY – The Alfred University softball team split a doubleheader in Empire 8 action to SUNY Geneseo on Monday, taking the opening game but falling in the nightcap.
 
The Saxons (13-5, 4-2 Empire 8) came from behind to hand the Knights (13-5, 5-1 Empire 8) their first E8 loss since joining the conference with an 8-7 victory to start the Monday twin bill. Alfred dropped a 6-3 loss in the evening showing to close out the day.
 
"We played from behind all day today, which took us away from what we wanted to do offensively," Head Coach Luke Wesneski said. "We allowed them to get out to two fasts starts but we were able to dig deep and show some heart in that first game. Overall, it was a sloppy day of softball but we did enough to win a game. We have some stuff to work on but proud to see no quit in our girls today! We have to play better all-around to continue being successful."
 
Game One
SUNY Geneseo – 7 | Alfred University – 8
 
Geneseo got out to an early 4-0 lead with two earned runs and two unearned in the bottom of the first inning. The Knights tacked on another run in the bottom of the third to put themselves seemingly-safe in the lead. The Saxon bats had other plans in the top of the fifth and seventh innings.
 
Alexis Martinez (Anaheim, CA/Woodbridge) was the first Saxon to cross home plate when she scooted home off a Molly Whitmyer (Enola, PA/Trinity) single up the middle of the field as Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) was close behind for the second run. Whitmyer, as well as Abigail Gatza (Burlington, ON, Canada/Assumption Catholic) were the next two to score in the top of the fifth when Kendall Steward (Kennedy, NY/Randolph) doubled to center field. Both runs were unearned as AU had cut the lead to 5-4.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Saxons saw what would be their only lead of the day as Whitmyer tied the game with a sacrificed fly, bringing home Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) for the 5-5 leveling. Paris Guzman (Santa Fe Springs, CA/Santa Fe) singled up the middle for the first lead, scoring Brielle Wark (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) for the 6-5 lead.
 
Martinez recorded the game-winning RBI when she singled to right field to bring Guzman and Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) home for the 8-5 advantage.
 
Two doubles in the bottom of the inning drove in two unearned runs for the Knights but the Steward-led defense of Alfred University closed out the hopes of a walk-off win for Geneseo. Steward totaled three strikeouts.
 
Steward's double was accompanied by Remm's triple as the big hits for AU as the Saxons totaled 16 hits in the game. Vidal led the way with a 3-for-4 performance while Whitmyer had three RBI and Steward had two to go with Martinez.
 
Game Two
SUNY Geneseo – 6 | Alfred University – 3
 
Geneseo started the game with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. The Saxons got on the scoreboard when Gatza was walked with bases loaded for an unearned run when Delaney Prather (North East, PA/North East) was pushed across home plate in the top of the third inning. Geneseo put what would go on to be the game-winning run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning with when a Knight doubled down the left field line, got the extra base on a throwing error but was caught in a rundown, resulting in the out, but not before two teammates scored the for the 5-1 lead.
 
Gatza homered in the top of the fifth to score Remm but it was too little, too late as Geneseo added another run in the bottom of the inning and then closed down the Saxon bats for the remainder of the game.
 
The Saxons will next host Hartwick College on Friday, April 11 for an E8 doubleheader at 3:00pm and 5:00pm at Harrington Field.