Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
ELMIRA, N.Y. (April 20, 2013) – Senior catcher Clair Strom (El Paso, Texas) reached base safely in her 10th straight game, a new team-season high, as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team fell in both games of an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader, 9-0 and 3-2, at Elmira College on Saturday afternoon.
Elmira improves to 17-7 overall and 7-3 in the Empire 8 while Stevens drops to 5-29 (0-10).
Elmira 9, Stevens 0 (5 inn.)
The Soaring Eagles jumped out to an early lead on a two-run homer by sophomore Megan Anderson (Little Falls, N.J.) with two outs in the bottom of the first inning and tacked on another three in the third. Freshman Julianne Heggie (Oxford, N.Y.) then blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth to go up by nine runs.
The Ducks almost got on the board in the top of the fifth as sophomore first baseman Noelle Mulligan (Staten Island, N.Y.) led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, then stole third two batters later with two outs. A groundout to shortstop ended the Ducks' hopes in Game One, however.
The Ducks managed just three hits and one hit-by-pitch in the game, while senior Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.) surrendered nine earned runs on just five hits with six walks and two hit-by-pitches while striking out two over four innings.
Anderson led the Soaring Eagles, going 1-1 with the home run, two walks, three runs and two RBI. Junior Alexandra Puglisi (Shelton, Conn.) limited the Ducks to just three hits and one hit-by-pitch while punching out five over five innings.
Elmira 3, Stevens 2
Stevens turned the tables early in Game Two, getting on the board first as junior shortstop Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) led off the game with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and reached third on a sacrifice bunt, then scored as freshman right fielder Kelsey Dempsey (Broomfield, Colo.) grounded out to shortstop to put the Ducks up, 1-0.
Sophomore Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) and Puglisi each recorded a pair of 1-2-3 innings from that point. Elmira got a one-out double in the bottom of the third but could not do anything else, and Stevens nearly responded in the top of the fourth. Freshman left fielder Gavriella Risman-Jones (New Boston, N.H.) led off the inning with a single up the middle, but was caught stealing before Dempsey singled and advanced to third on back-to-back passed balls with two outs. The Ducks could not bring her home, however, and Stevens still led 1-0 after another quick inning for Elmira.
It was not until the bottom of the sixth inning that Elmira finally evened the score as Puglisi helped herself with a leadoff double and came around to score on a single after advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt.
Strom broke the tie with a solo shot in the top of the seventh to put the Ducks back on top, but the Soaring Eagles scored two in the bottom of the seventh to rally for the win.
Sandone allowed three earned runs on seven hits while punching out four over 6.1 innings while Puglisi tallied her 12th win for the Soaring Eagles, surrendering two earned runs on four hits while whiffing eight over seven innings.
Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks will face Empire 8 foe Utica College (21-9, 7-3) tomorrow, Sunday, April 21 at 1 p.m.
