Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 l Game 2 l Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Nazareth earned an Empire 8 doubleheader split with visiting Utica on Monday afternoon. The Golden Flyers rallied to hold off the Pioneers 2-1 in the second game after dropping the opener 12-0. After Utica tied game two with a solo homer in the top of the seventh, sophomore Carly Pike answered with a game-winning, one-out, walk-off homerun to left field in the bottom half to earn the Golden Flyers' victory.

With the split, Nazareth stands at 8-14 overall and 3-7 in Empire 8 games. The Pioneers stand at 15-8 overall and 4-4 in conference contests.

The Golden Flyers broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Kailey Ritch began the inning with a single, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Maureen Rogers. Senior Sarah Cipperly reached on an infield error, which pushed Ritch to third. Pike scored Ritch on a fielder's choice as she hit a sharp grounder toward the center of the infield. Utica collected the out at second but was unable to complete the double play to prevent Ritch from scoring.

The game remained 1-0 until Chelsea Monroe's one-out, solo homer to center field in the top of the seventh. The tie game was short lived, however, as Pike collected her third homerun of the season to win the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Junior Nicole Bayona improved to 2-1 on the season with the victory. Bayona struck out four batters and scattered six hits in her seven innings. Utica's Abby Monroe took the loss. She struck out four batters and held Nazareth to three hits.

Bayona escaped the first inning without allowing any runs by striking out Taylor Ellis with the bases loaded. The Pioneers also had runners on second and third in the top of the second before Bayona recorded the final two outs on a fly ball and grounder. In the top of the fourth inning, Bayona forced a pair of infield pop-ups to Ritch and Pike after Utica advanced runners to second and third.

In the first game, the Golden Flyers surrendered a 3-0 lead in the top of the first following Meghan Matan's three-run home run over the left field fence. In the bottom of the inning, Nazareth loaded the bases with two outs before junior Sophia Rhoades struck out to end the scoring threat. With two outs, Rogers reached on an infield error, which was followed by walks by Cipperly and Pike.

The first inning was Nazareth's best scoring chance as Utica's starting pitcher, Monroe, allowed only one hit over the course of the game to earn her 10th win of the season. Sophomore Morgan Ross connected on a lead-off single in the third inning, but Monroe retired the next three batters in the inning, and she finished the game retiring the final nine Golden Flyers she faced. Monroe finished with five strikeouts and is 10-5 on the season after splitting the doubleheader.

The Pioneers' offense added two runs in the second inning when Chelsea Monroe scored on a wild pitch and Christy Traglia crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to left by Matan. In the top of the third, Utica broke the game open with three additional runs. With one-out, pinch-runner Anastasia Fitzpatrick advanced to second on ground out to third. Following a walk to Chelsea Monroe, Traglia singled home Fitzpatrick, then Monroe scored on a single by Alysa Russell. Traglia crossed the plate for the Pioneers' eighth run on an infield error.

Utica added four runs in the fifth to secure the victory. Matan scored on a throwing error from left field toward home following a single by Taylor Ellis. Kassidy Ogren followed with her second homer of the season, which drove in the final three runs.

In the loss, freshman Nicole White fell to 1-7 overall as she allowed six earned runs in 2.2 innings and struckout two batters. White allowed five hits and five walks. Classmate Mary Greco relieved White in the final 2.1 innings, and she allowed nine hits and five unearned runs.

Nazareth is in action again on Thursday when the Golden Flyers host Cortland in a non-conference doubleheader.