Saxons eliminated from ECAC Upstate tournament
5/10/09

SCHENECTADY, NY – The Alfred University softball team was eliminated from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Upstate Championship tournament Sunday after dropping games to top-seeded Union and fourth-seeded RPI.

AU, the tournament’s third seed, lost this morning to top-seeded and host Union College, 9-1 in six innings, in a game that began Saturday afternoon but was suspended because of severe thunderstorms. The Saxons finish the year with a 27-11 record, with the 27 wins representing a school single-season mark.

Alfred trailed Union 1-0 with one out in the bottom the third when play was suspended Saturday. The game resumed at 10 a.m. today and Union scored a run to make it 2-0. The hosts scored five in the fifth for a 7-0 lead before AU got on the board with a run in the top of the sixth. Union answered with two in the bottom half of the innings to gain the eight-run lead and end the contest.

Freshman pitcher Nicole Hedrick (Albany, NY/Catholic Central), who earned the win for AU in its semifinal win over Brockport, took the loss in both games today. Against Union, she allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits while striking out two in 3 1/3 innings. Sophomore Chelsey Cary (Corfu, NY/Pembroke) threw 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball before freshman Sarah Scanlon (Mishawaka, IN/Mishawaka) allowed two runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.

Junior shortstop Samantha Rollins (Hornell, NY/Hornell) had three hits in three at-bats for the Saxons, while freshman infielder Angela Netta (Rahway, NJ/Mother Seton Regional) scored Alfred’s only run.

Ginni Sack earned the pitching win for Union, allowing an unearned run on six hits over six innings. Bridget Graham went four for five with a run and two RBIs for Union (30-6), while and Megan Bordino and Michelle Rogers each had two hits, a run scored and two RBIs.

Against RPI, AU trailed 5-0 when the Saxons scored single runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. Sophomore designated player Madison Snyder (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford) had a double, and RBI and scored once. Freshman first baseman Molly Shepherd (Camillus, NY/West Genesee) had an RBI and junior Jordan Siefer (Sylvania, OH/Sylvania Southview) scored a run.

Hedrick took the loss for AU, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings. Cary pitching 3 1/3 innings of shutout balls, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Felicia Bua got the pitching victory for RPI (25-13), allowing a run on three hits in four innings. Jen Bach earned the save, allowing a run on one hit in three innings of work. Bach went three-for-four at the plate with a homerun, double and three RBIs. Sara Finkbeiner had a triple and scored twice.

RPI advanced to play Union in the championship at 2 p.m. today. If RPI wins that game, another matchup with Union would be played at 4 p.m.