Nazareth College Athletics

Game 1 | Game 2 | Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting Stevens rode the strong pitching of senior Kayla Berardi to a pair of Empire 8 softball victories over Nazareth Sunday at Flyer Field. Berardi improved to 9-3 on the pitcher's mound as she struck out 11 batters in each game as the Ducks won by scores of 5-0 and 3-2. Stevens improved to 15-6-1 overall and 3-3 in conference games. Nazareth, which swept Elmira in a twinbill Saturday, dropped to 9-7 overall and 2-2 in the Empire 8.

Senior Sophia Rhoades had three hits and a run batted in for Nazareth in the second game and junior Morgan Ross added two hits. The Golden Flyers managed just two hits off Berardi in the first game -- a hamrless single by Ross in the first inning and a pop-fly double by Maureen Rogers in the fourth.

Jessica Rees went 2-for-4 with a triple and a three-run homer for the Ducks in the first game off Nazareth pitcher Nicole Bayona, who yielded just two earned runs and struck out two. Nazareth's best scoring opportunity came in the fourth inning when Rogers' fly ball was lost in the sun by Rees in left field and fell for a double. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Carly Pike, but she was left stranded as Rhoades struck out to end the threat.

In the second game, Stevens led 2-0 following single runs in the first and third innings. Nazareth tied it with two runs in the bottom of the third. Ross led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emily Graham. Pike followed with a single and Ross came home on a throwing error as Pike advanced to second. Rhoades followed with a single to score Pike.

Stevens scored the winning run in the fourth inning after Lauren Shirley reached base when she was hit by a pitch. She advanced to second on a sacrifice and scored one out later on a single by Emily Sellitti.

Nazareth managed to get the lead-off batter on base in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't capitalize. In the seventh, Meghan Barry opened with a single to right field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She was left stranded there as Ross and Graham each struck out and Rogers flied to right field to end the game.

Sophomore Nicole White pitched well for Nazareth by allowing just six hits over seven innings with one walk and six strikeouts.  

Nazareth is home twice this week -- Tuesday against Rochester in a non-conference doubleheader and Thursday against St. John Fisher in an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader. Both doubleheaders start at 3 p.m.