ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Nazareth softball hosted SUNY Poly for a conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon and evening while celebrating seniors Bella Romano, Nicole Anselm, and Madison Chodkowski in a senior day ceremony prior to the game. The Golden Flyers and the Wildcats split the contests, Poly taking the first game 13-8, and Nazareth taking game two 8-0 in six innings.

With the split, Nazareth has an overall record of 16-13 and a conference record of 10-8 and have clinched a postseason berth. SUNY Poly now sits at 17-10 overall and 9-5 in Empire 8 play.

Nazareth Loses 13-8
The bats were off to a quiet start following a thirty minute rain delay, neither team getting on the board until the bottom of the third when Nazareth put up three runs. Caitlyn Knapp led off the inning with a walk and was batted in on a two-out single by Ashley Bell. Kaijah Alexander then put one over to score Nazareth's final two runs of the inning.

Poly took two runs back in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to one. Neither team would score again until the top of the sixth when Poly suddenly woke up the bats with a six-run inning.

Down 8-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Nazareth put up two more runs, Madison Hicks scoring on a single by Haleigh Suitor after walking, and Suitor scoring on a Chodkowski ground-out and Poly error.

Up 8-5 Poly would extend its lead in the top of the seventh with five more runs.

Though Nazareth was able to start a rally in the bottom of the final inning, the Golden Flyers could not quite close the gap, scoring three more runs to set the final score at 13-8. Scoring in the inning was Bell, Alexander, and Sarah Ferruzza. Bell, Alexander, Ferruzza, Hicks, and Suitor all had singles in the inning, with Ferruzza's and Suitor's being RBIs.

Hicks earned the start for the Golden Flyers, throwing six innings total after leaving in the fifth and reentering later in the game. Hicks was charged with one earned run on 31 batters faced. Avery Zembek was credited with the loss for the Golden Flyers, letting in four earned runs on nine batters faced.

Nazareth Shuts Out Wildcats 8-0 in Six Innings
The second game started off in much more chaos than the first game. After holding Poly scoreless in the top of the first inning, Alexander hit another homer to bring in three runs for the Golden Flyers in the bottom. Russo and Bell were the other two runs scored, getting on base on a walk and single respectively.

After a scoreless second inning, Alexander led off the bottom of the third with another homer, her third of the day. Suitor then followed suit with a two-out homer herself. Knapp then hit a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Zembek walked, she drew a throw on a steal to allow Knapp to score before Zembek was tagged out.

The score remained 6-0 until the bottom of the sixth when Nazareth scored two more runs. Julia Maciag started the inning with a bunt-for-single with one out and then stole second. On Russo's walk, Maciag stole third. With runners on first and third, Bell grounded out to the pitcher, Maciag scoring on the play to first, and Russo advancing to third on Poly's throw to home plate. Alexander then walked it off with a single to right field to score Russo and force the run rule.

Zembek threw the full six inning shutout for the Golden Flyers, tallying five strikeouts on 27 batters faced.

The Golden Flyers will be back in action on the road on April 30th for a make-up double header against Houghton at 2 and 4 p.m.