Updated Stats
UTICA, NY – Nazareth earned its first conference road victories of the season Sunday, taking down Utica 7-3 in the opening contest, before holding the Pioneers scoreless, 4-0.
Nazareth moves to 11-9 overall and 4-4 in Empire 8 play with the victories. Utica drops to 8-10 and 2-4.
The Golden Flyers begin a five-game homestand on Tuesday when they hosts Rochester at 3 p.m.
Game 1 – Nazareth 7, Utica 3
Nazareth opened up the scoring in the fourth with three runs.
Meghan Barry singled to pick up two RBI as
Stephanie Mongelli and
Marissa Tortora scored. Following a pitching change,
Delaney St. George earned a walk with the bases loaded for the final run of the inning.
Kristen Simmons, who finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBI, pushed St. George home in the sixth to make it 4-0.
Nazareth picked up some needed insurance runs in the seventh, adding three more. Simmons notched another single, this time scoring two to make in 7-0.
Utica grinded out three runs in the bottom half after a three-run shot, however,
Nicole White was able to close out the Pioneers for the win. White allowed four hits and struck out six on the mound.
Mongelli and Tortora each went 2-for-4 in the win.
Game 2 – Nazareth 4, Utica 0
A strong pitching performance from
Rachel Mertens, coupled with scoring three runs in the first inning propelled the Golden Flyers to the sweep of the Pioneers.
An RBI-single from Tortora scored Simmons early in the inning. White and Mongelli racked up RBIs as well on groundouts in the infield.
Mertens improved to 6-3 with the win. She allowed five hits, struck out four and walked just one batter.
In the seventh, Tortora smashed a two-out double to put one more run on the board for the Golden Flyers. She was 2-for-4, good for two RBI in the victory.
Annika Guiliano was 2-for-3 with one run scored.
Nazareth had five hits in the game.
