Updated Stats
Rochester, NY – Visiting Utica handed Nazareth two back-breaking conference losses on Thursday, beginning with a 4-1 victory in game one, followed by a 9-7 defeat in game two. Junior
Marissa Tortora had a strong day for the Flyers, going 4-for-7 with three RBI in the two contests.
With the losses Nazareth falls to 9-17 overall and 2-8 in league play, while Utica moves to 16-14 and 8-2, respectively.
Nazareth continues its home stand on Saturday, hosting Houghton at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader.
Game 1 – Utica 4, Nazareth 1
It took until the sixth inning for either team to score. Utica was able to string together three of its nine hits in the game, including two with two outs to go up 2-0. With a runner at first, Madison Akots blooped as single to right and advanced to second to put both runners in scoring position. As the next batter, Samantha Whitehouse split the infielders to score both runners.
The Golden Flyers responded in the bottom half, making the Pioneers pay for an error on
Katherine Ruoff. Tortora moved her around to third, before
Stephanie Mongelli knocked her in with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
In the seventh, the Pioneers tagged on two more runs. Nicole Rice, who was 3-for-4 in the game, had an RBI single to make it 4-1.
Gabriella Corasaniti lasted 6 1/3 innings before
Kylie Smith took over. Corasaniti allowed four runs on nine hits, with two strikeouts. Smith was able to get the next two batters out.
Nazareth ended with four hits in the game, two coming from
Madison Joseph (2-for-3).
Game 2 – Utica 9, Nazareth 7
After taking the lead 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth, Nazareth surrendered five runs in the seventh to allow Utica to earn the 9-7 comeback win. Tortora went 3-for-4, with a home run and three RBI in the loss.
Trailing 4-3 in the sixth, Nazareth put together its best offensive effort, scoring four runs to re-take the game at 7-4.The Pioneers walked three consecutive batters, the last with the bases loaded, to tie the game.
Janelle Walters, Ruoff and Tortora all helped plate runners in the innings.
In the seventh, Nazareth secured a double play with the score at 7-6 to put itself into good position to close the game, however, an error on the next play put the tying run on. Smith was unable to close the Pioneers out as a single form Dominique Soto tied the game at 7-7 and Brigid Johndrow drove in two more to complete the comeback.
Nazareth let a 3-2 lead slip away in the sixth, as an error proved to be costly. Sara Stransky reached on an error and later scored from third on a passed ball to even the score. Jamie Miller slapped in the another run to make it 4-3.
Tortora rocked an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1 in the first. Later in the inning, Joseph had an RBI single to score Tortora.
Tortora continued her hot streak in the third with a solo shot to center to extend the Golden Flyers advantage to 3-1.
Utica trimmed the lead to 2-3, benefiting off an error in the fourth.
Smith suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs on 14 hits.
Walters finished 3-for-3.
