ELMIRA, NY– Haleigh Suitor breaks the freshman home run record with her fifth of the year in the doubleheader versus Elmira during a weekend conference matchup. Sophomores Maddie Klein and Maddy Spakoski led the Nazareth University Softball team with three hits each Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flyers (4-26, 2-10 Empire 8) dropped both games to the Soaring Eagles (14-14 overall, 4-4 Empire 8) by 4-3 and 12-9 final scores.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Nazareth struck first in the top of the first inning. Freshman Morgan Russo led off the inning with a walk followed by a hit delivered from Spakoski through the left side. The Golden Flyers drew three consecutive walks to score two runs.
The score was 2-0 after the first inning and the score remained 2-0 until the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Elmira scored three runs on a series of hits to take the lead 3-2. The Soaring Eagles added an additional run in the bottom half of the sixth inning to extend the lead 4-2.
With a last chance opportunity to rally in the top of the seventh, Nazareth came up short, scoring one run. Klein led off the inning with a double to left center field. Russo notched her 12th double of the season to score Klein, however, Elmira retired the remainder of the batters to secure the 4-3 victory.
Nazareth scattered five hits in the first game with Klein going 2-for-3, along with one hit each from Spakoski, Russo, and senior Megan Pum. Freshman Avery Zembek scattered just four hits, three unearned runs, and three strikeouts in the circle.
In the second game, the Golden Flyers went up early in the first inning scoring one run. Klein and Spakoski both walked while Pum drove in Klein with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Elmira answered with eight runs which started after a hit by pitch and walk, followed by a single to center field, scoring both baserunners. The Soaring Eagles then added six additional runs on six hits in the bottom frame of the first inning. The score was 8-1.
Nazareth cut the deficit with an impressive rally, scoring six runs in the top of the second.
Sophomore Ashley Bell started off the second inning with an infield single followed by a walk from Macie Vetter. Russo tallied an RBI after scoring Bell on a sacrifice fly to left field. Spakoski then drove in Vetter and Klein with a single to right field. With two runners on, Suitor cleared the bases with an inside-the-park home run securing three RBIs to make the game 8-7.
Elmira answered with one more run in the bottom of the third. However, Nazareth battled back with two runs to tie the game 9-9 with a pair of singles from Spakoski and Suitor and a big two out, two RBI single to left field from freshman Anna Spencer.
Elmira tallied three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal the 12-9 victory.
Nazareth finished the game with nine hits.
The Golden Flyers look to close out Empire 8 Conference play Sunday with a doubleheader at Keuka at 12 and 2 pm.
