Softball season ends at ECAC South Championships

Women’s Softball (24-19, 7-5 Empire): The women’s softball team beat Centenary College in the first round of the ECAC South Championship tournament, then dropped games to Alvernia and Stevenson in the tournament’s double-elimination weekend.

Alfred beat host Centenary College, 6-1 in the single-elimination quarterfinals of the eight-team tournament, advancing to the weekend’s double-elimination play. Alfred trailed Centenary1-0 heading into the fourth before tying the game with a single run in the top of the frame, then went ahead to stay with a pair in the fifth – the eventual game-winner coming on a leadoff homerun by senior second baseman Maressa Mistretta (Shirley, NY/Longwood) – before putting the game away with three insurance runs in the sixth.

Sophomore pitcher Jessica O’Sullivan (Habersham, SC/Groton-Barnstable (MA) Regional) improved to 13-5 on the year, allowing a run on three hits and striking out 10.

Sophomore Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) had two hits, including an RBI single to tie the game in the fourth, and senior first baseman Hana Gross (Union, NJ/Union) drove in two runs with a single in the sixth. Freshman outfielder Samantha Jauregui (Lindsay, CA/Lindsay) had a hit and a run, while freshman catcher Samantha Greenberg (Toms River, NJ/Toms River) had an RBI single.

Host and top-seeded Alvernia defeated the Saxons 13-1 on Saturday. Alvernia scored five runs in the first, six in the second and a pair in the fourth en route to claiming the eight-run rule victory. Alfred scored its lone run the third inning when Mistretta led off with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by Greenberg.

AU, the tournament’s fifth seed, was held to six hits in the game. Wickwire had a double; Jauregui, junior outfielder Rachel Guszick (Sparrowbush, NY/Port Jervis), freshman shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy), and junior outfielder Samijo Scheer (Corning, NY/Corning East) each hit singles.

O’Sullivan started and allowed 10 runs (all earned) on seven hits while walking three and striking out one. Sophomore Samantha Jo Muller (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) relieved and faced one batter, allowing an earned run, before freshman Katelyn Jakobsen (Elmwood Park, IL/Elmwood Park) finished up, allowing two earned runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings.

AU saw its 2013 season end with a 7-4 loss to Stevenson in a game that began Saturday, was halted by rain, and concluded Sunday morning.

Alfred trailed 3-1 with one out in the bottom of the sixth and runners on second and third when rain stopped the contest Saturday afternoon. When play resumed Sunday at 8 a.m., Stevenson got one out before freshman shortstop Maher tied the game with a clutch single that drove in Jauregui and Greenberg, who had singled leading off the inning.

Stevenson answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to go up 7-3. The Mustangs loaded the bases with no outs and scored their first run of the frame on a walk, then plated three unearned runs to take a four-run lead. AU closed out the scoring in the bottom of the frame, with Jauregui hitting her third single of the game and scoring on Greenberg’s double.

On Saturday, Alfred took 1-0 lead in the third when Scheer tripled with one out and scored on a wild pitch. Stevenson went ahead with three in the fifth, with all three runs scoring with two outs.

Jakobsen started for Alfred and allowed three earned runs on six hits and a walk over 5 1/3 innings. O’Sullivan relieved and got two outs in the sixth. Wickwire took over to begin the seventh and took the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk.

Last Week: W, 6-1, vs. Centenary College, 1st Round ECAC South Championship (5/9); L, 13-1, vs. Alvernia, at ECAC South Championship (5/11); L, 7-4, vs. Stevenson, at ECAC South Championship (5/11, 12)
This Week: Season Over



Track and field teams compete at Oneonta, set for ECAC outdoor championships

Outdoor Track and Field:  The Several members of the Alfred University men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams competed at Oneonta State Invitational Saturday, in preparation for this week’s ECAC Outdoor Championship meet.

The meet at Oneonta was non-scoring, but several Saxon athletes turned in solid performances, led by sophomore Miasia Hillman (Buffalo, NY/Hutch Tech), who won the women’s 100-meter dash (12.86 seconds), and sophomore Sean Locker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West), who took second in the men’s javelin throw (51.53 meters).

Hillman also anchored the women’s 4X100-meter relay – with sophomore Patricia Banahene (Rochester, NY/Brighton), junior Chelsea Hall (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) and senior Jordyn Larkins (Rochester, NY/Harley-Allendale-Columbia) – that took second in 50.66 seconds.

Hall also took second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles (16.70 seconds) and senior Kirstin Cook (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) was eighth in the discus (29.56 meters).

Other top performers for the AU men were: sophomore Greg Pomarico (Liberty, PA/Liberty), fourth in the javelin (45.03 meters); junior Isaiah Cassin (Candor, NY/Candor), seventh in the high jump (1.83 meters); and freshman Joe Duermeyer (Corfu, NY/Pembroke), seventh in the shot put (13.03 meters).

The following Saxon women have qualified for the ECACs: Hillman in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash; junior Rebecca Graudons (Mayfield, NY/Mayfield) in the pole vault; and Banahene, Hall, Larkins and Hillman in the 4X100 relay.

The following AU men will compete at the ECAC meet: Cassin in the high jump; senior Chris Lopez (Rochester, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) in the long jump; freshman Gregory Matos (Bronx, NY/ELLIS Prep) will compete in the 400-meter dash; Lopez, junior Eddie Potter (Lansing, NY/Lansing), sophomore Nolan Rummel (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) and Matos will compete in the 4X400-meter relay; and Potter, Rummel, freshman Ethan Foster (Bolivar, NY/Bolivar-Richburg) and senior Randy Brito (New York, NY/Cardinal Hayes) will run the 4X800-meter relay.

Last Week: No Team Scores, at Oneonta State Invitational (5/11)
This Week: ECAC Championship, at Springfield (MA) College (5/16, 5/17)



Men’s lacrosse falls to Lebanon Valley in ECAC Tourney

Men’s Lacrosse (7-7, 1-6 Empire 8):  The Alfred University men’s lacrosse team lost, 11-5, to Lebanon Valley College in the first round of the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championships, Wednesday evening.

Alfred headed into half trailing 6-3. Lebanon Valley outscored AU 5-2 in the second half to secure the victory.

Junior attacker Brett Carroll (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) paced the Saxons with two goals. Junior attacker Caleb McCaig (Corning, NY/Corning West), sophomore midfielder Nicolas Wood (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua), and sophomore midfielder Fred Crilly (Rochester, NY/Penfield) each netted a goal apiece.

Senior defender Jake Spadoni (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder) led the Saxon defense with five ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Senior Justin Becker (Conesus, NY/Livonia) made 16 saves in 53 minutes before sophomore Cody O’Connor (Whitney Point, NY/Whitney Point) finished the game in net with three saves.

Last Week: L, 11-5, vs. Lebanon Valley College, 1st Round ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championship (5/8)
This Week: Season Over



Mistretta, Locker Named Saxon Athletes of the Week

Maressa Mistretta: The senior second baseman from Shirley, NY, drove in what proved to be the winning run with a solo homerun in the fifth inning of the softball team’s 6-1 victory over Centenary in the first round of the ECAC South Championship softball tournament.

Sean Locker: The sophomore from Corning, NY, took second in the javelin throw at the Oneonta State Invitational outdoor track and field meet with a heave of 51.53 meters.