Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (April 13, 2013) – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team bade farewell to its trio of graduating seniors – pitcher Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.), centerfielder Lauren Hurley (Sparta, N.J.) and catcher Clair Strom (El Paso, Texas) – as it dropped a doubleheader, 5-1 and 2-1, to Empire 8 Conference rival Alfred University on Saturday afternoon.
Alfred improves to 12-10 overall and 6-2 in conference play while Stevens drops to 2-24 (0-8).
 

Alfred 5, Stevens 1

Game One was a pitchers' duel from the outset.  Neither team recorded its first hit until the fourth inning, although the Saxons drew several walks over the first three frames while the Ducks got one base runner in freshman left fielder Gavriella Risman-Jones (New Boston, N.H.), who reached on an error in the top of the first.  Alfred loaded the bases in third and fourth innings but Herforth came away unscathed in each. 

The Saxons finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning.  With just a runner on first base and two outs, Alfred picked up a pair of singles to bring one run home and scored two more on a pair of throwing errors to go up 3-0.

Stevens got a run back in the bottom of the sixth as Risman-Jones doubled to deep left field and came home on a single by Strom to make it 3-1.  Alfred answered right back, however, as senior second baseman Maressa Mistretta (Shirley, N.Y.) blasted a two-run homer to left center to go up 5-1, which would be the final score. 

Strom recorded two hits to lead the Ducks while Risman-Jones and freshman second baseman Sydney Spitz (Shelton, Conn.) stole their seventh and fourth bases, respectively, in as many attempts this season.  Herforth took the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits and 10 walks while striking out four over seven innings.

Mistretta led the Saxons at the plate, going 2-3 with a walk, two runs and two RBI while sophomore Jessica O'Sullivan (Habersham, S.C.) picked up her seventh win of the season, surrendering just one earned run on four hits while punching out nine batters over seven innings.
 

Alfred 2, Stevens 1

The Ducks took an early lead in Game Two as junior shortstop Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) and Risman-Jones reached on error and single before moving to second and third with one out.  Strom then singled up middle to score DeFeo for her second RBI of the day.  Stevens nearly got another run in the next at-bat as a Risman-Jones broke for home plate on a groundout and slid under the tag, but was called out for missing the plate once the catcher tagged her after the play.

The Saxons carried the momentum from the controversial call into the top of the second inning, loading the bases with just one out, but a big strikeout and fly out to left field got sophomore Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) out of the inning.  Alfred had another chance in the third inning before the lead runner was caught between second and third and Risman-Jones fired a perfect throw to get another runner at the plate two at-bats later.  The Saxons did finally tie the score after an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the third, turning a leadoff double into a run on a soft two-out single up the middle.

Alfred then took the lead in the top of the sixth inning, getting another leadoff double and following with a bunt single and another double down the left field line to go up 2-1.  A smart fielder's choice by junior third baseman Stephanie Senkevich (Washington, N.J.) got another runner at home and a groundout later the Ducks came up to bat in the bottom of the frame.

Senkevich singled with one out and moved to third on a groundout and wild pitch with freshman designated player Oriana DeFeo-Peterson (Patterson, N.Y.) joining her on the base paths courtesy of a walk, but a sharp groundout to third ended the inning.  Stevens had one last chance to force extra innings in the bottom of the seventh as Hurley drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a pair of groundouts to the pitcher, but a chopper to second ended the Ducks' hopes.

Risman-Jones tallied her second three-hit game of the season, making her 4-7 over the doubleheader.  The Ducks combined for a season-high 15 assists in the nightcap, while Sandone took the loss despite limiting Alfred to two earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out two over seven innings.

Three Saxons recorded a pair of hits in Game Two, with freshman shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, Del.) also adding a walk, two doubles and two runs.  Sophomore first baseman Alison Wickwire (Towanda, Pa.) came up with the game-winning RBI in her pinch-hit at-bat.  O'Sullivan started in the circle again and did not surrender an earned run, giving up just seven hits and three walks while striking out two over 6.2 innings, but sophomore Samantha Jo Muller (Port Jervis, N.Y.) picked up the win, recording the final and her only out of the fifth inning before the Saxons went ahead in the sixth.
 

Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks will host new Empire 8 foe Houghton College (1-13, 0-6) in their final home doubleheader of the season tomorrow, Sunday, April 14 at 11:30 a.m.