Game 1 l Game 2 l Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting Alfred swept Nazareth 8-1 and 8-3 in a pair of Empire 8 Conference softball games on Saturday afternoon. In the first game, junior Sarah Cipperly had two of the Golden Flyers' four hits and scored Nazareth's run. In the second game, freshman Carly Pike hit her second homerun of the season for the Golden Flyers.

Following the losses, Nazareth slides to 2-10 overall and 0-2 in conference games. The Saxons improve to 6-8 overall and 2-0 in Empire 8 games with the victory.

In game one, Cipperly's fourth inning run trimmed Alfred's lead to 3-1, however, the Saxons responded with a run in the fifth inning and four runs in the sixth inning to pull away.

Cipperly scored after reaching second on a one-out double, and she advanced to third on an error. Freshman Maureen Rogers drove Cipperly home with an RBI single. With two runners on the bases, Alfred's Jessica O'Sullivan got junior Shauna Bardanis and sophomore Nicole Bayona to fly out to end Nazareth's scoring threat and preserve the Saxons' lead.

Pike had five strikeouts in seven innings on the mound for the Golden Flyers.  Jessica O'Sullivan fanned nine Nazareth batters to earn the victory.

In game two, the Golden Flyers jumped to a 2-0 lead with a pair of first-inning runs. Junior Kailey Ritch started the inning on base as she reached on an error and freshman Morgan Ross followed with a single. Both runners advanced following a wild pitch and scored moments later on a one-out single by Pike. A single by Bardanis loaded the bases, however, Alfred's Alison Wickwire was able to avoid further damage by striking out Bayona.

The Saxons answered in the top of the second inning as the first two batters singled and later scored after miscues by the Golden Flyers' fielders. Wickwire aided her cause with an RBI double to tie the game, 2-2. In the third inning, Alfred scored four runs to claim the lead. Nicole Mahar hit a two-run homer during the inning to put the Saxons ahead 5-2.

Pike's two-out homerun in the bottom of the third inning, closed Nazareth's deficit to 6-3, but the Golden Flyers were unable to retake their original lead. Wickwire finished with seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings of work to earn the victory, and Samantha Jo Muller chipped in two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Muller allowed only one walk and no hits when she took over on the mound.

Bayona finished with one strikeout in the loss for Nazareth.

The Golden Flyers are in action again on April 2nd when Nazareth travels to Brockport for a non-conference doubleheader.