ALFRED, NY – Junior Justine Brooks and sophomore Marissa Berghorn had three hits each but the Nazareth College Softball team dropped a pair of Empire 8 games at Alfred Saturday to the Saxons.

Alfred (13-10 overall, 5-1 Empire 8) won the first game 9-1 in six innings with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and then came from behind to score five runs in the fifth and win a 7-5 decision.

In the opener, Brooks, Berghorn and seniors Megan Pum and Sarah Simmons had the lone hits in the game and Simmons scored the only run of the game on an inning-ending double play as Berghorn tried to score after Simmons but was thrown out at the plate.

Alfred scored once in the second, twice in the third, one more in the fourth and twice in the fifth before adding three in the sixth for the run-rule win.

In the second game, Alfred took an early lead with a single run in the first but Nazareth (9-11, 3-3 E8) rallied for three runs in the third to take a lead.

With two outs and a runner on first after freshman Cat Moores singled, Brooks and sophomore Cassidy Hoffmier hit back-to-back singles and one run scored on an error by the Alfred left fielder.

Simmons reached on a throwing error by the shortstop as two more runs scored to give the Golden Flyers a 3-1 edge.

Alfred answered with a big five-run inning in the fifth to regain the lead and added to the lead with a single run in the sixth.

Nazareth battled back to score twice in the top of the seventh before the game ended on a fly ball to centerfield.

In the seventh, Brooks started the rally with a one-out double and moved to third on a ground out. Simmons hit an infield single to score Brooks and later scored on a Berghorn single.

Nazareth will play a pair of non-conference games at Buffalo State Wednesday before returning to Empire 8 play Friday at Elmira and Saturday at home against St. John Fisher.