Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

UTICA, N.Y. (April 21, 2013) – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team ended its Empire 8 Conference slate with a doubleheader loss at Utica College, 10-2 and 15-0, on Sunday afternoon.

Utica improves to 23-9 overall and 9-3 in Empire 8 play while Stevens falls to 5-31 (0-12).
 

Utica 10, Stevens 2 (5 inn.)

The Ducks started off Game One as they have many this season, getting a leadoff infield single from junior shortstop Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.), who was then joined on the base paths by freshman left fielder Gavriella Risman-Jones (New Boston, N.H.) on an infield single of her own.  A foul out and pop-up quickly put two away, however, and although DeFeo was able to steal third base in the next at-bat, a third pop-up ended the inning.

Utica took advantage of the Ducks' failure to capitalize, getting a two-out solo home run to go up 1-0 and adding two more on a throwing error to lead 3-0 heading into the second inning.  Stevens got another leadoff single to start the top of the second but a fielder's choice and back-to-back strikeouts again kept the Ducks off the board until the top of the third, when freshman right fielder Kelsey Dempsey (Broomfield, Colo.) blasted a solo shot to straightaway centerfield to cut the deficit to one.

The Pioneers responded immediately, getting a leadoff homer to regain the three-run edge and tacking on five more on a two-RBI single and three-run shot later in the inning to lead 9-1.  Stevens got one back in the top of the fourth as senior Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.) drove junior third baseman Stephanie Senkevich (Washington, N.J.) home on a groundout but Utica would add the final run necessary to cut the game short in the bottom of the fifth to win, 10-2.

Risman-Jones tallied her 10^th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-3, while senior catcher Clair Strom (El Paso, Texas) saw her team season-high on-base streak end at 10 straight games as she failed to reach safely in three at-bats.  Senkevich was 1-1 with a walk and run scored while freshman second baseman Sydney Spitz (Shelton, Conn.) went 1-2 with a double.  Herforth surrendered eight earned runs on 11 hits, four walks and two hit-by-pitches while striking out one over 4.1 innings.

A trio of Pioneers recorded two hits apiece, led by sophomore designated player Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, N.Y.), who was a perfect 2-2, including one of the team's three home runs, with two walks, two runs and two RBI.  Sophomore Briona Enny (Queensbury, N.Y.) improved her record to 7-1 in allowing just two earned runs on six hits and one walks while punching out three batters over five innings.
 

Utica 15, Stevens 0 (5 inn.)

Utica burst out of the gates in Game Two as freshman Abby Monroe (Watertown, N.Y.) struck out the side in the top of the first inning and the Pioneers exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the frame.  Strom led off the top of the second inning with a single but another trio of strikeouts ended the inning quickly and the Pioneers tacked on a 10^th run in the bottom of the second, three more in the third and two more on back-to-back solo shots in the fourth.  Stevens was able to move Spitz, who singled her way on base with one out in the top of the fifth inning, over to third base with two outs thanks to an error, but still could not get on the board.

DeFeo, Strom and Spitz were the only Ducks to reach base while sophomore Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) allowed 10 earned runs on 18 hits and two walks over four innings. 

The Pioneers recorded 18 hits as a team, led once again by Fitzgerald, who was 3-4 with another home run, three runs and three RBI from the catcher position.  Monroe finished the three-hitter with nine strikeouts over her five innings of work.
 

Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks will look to regroup as they face Hunter College (6-24) on Tuesday, April 23 at 3 p.m.