GENESEO, NY (nazathletics.com) - Fourth-seeded Nazareth Softball (25-13) fell to No. 1 SUNY Geneseo (30-9), 6-2, Friday morning on the second day of the 2026 Empire 8 Championship at Raschi Softball Field. After dropping the team's opening game to No. 3 Alfred in extra innings yesterday, the Golden Flyers are eliminated from the championship tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Golden Flyers answered an early first-inning deficit in the second when Madison Hicks tied the game at 1-1 with a solo home run to center. Haleigh Suitor followed with a single, but Nazareth could not push another run across after consecutive fielder's choice outs.
- Nazareth threatened to take the lead in the third after Alexis Brown walked and Bryanna Moroughan dropped down a sacrifice bunt before Morgan Russo singled to center. Julia Maciag stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but the rally ended with two runners thrown out at the plate on a fielder's choice to keep the game tied.
- The Golden Flyers stayed even through three innings before Geneseo capitalized on a fourth-inning error to score twice and move ahead 3-1. Amanda Linnenbrink entered in relief during the third inning and stranded a bases-loaded situation with a groundout to end the threat.
- Nazareth continued to create traffic on the bases throughout the middle innings. Brown and Moroughan opened the fifth with back-to-back singles, but a force out at third and a strikeout looking ended another scoring chance with two runners left on base.
- Geneseo added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth, including a two-run homer in the sixth inning that extended the lead to 6-1. Linnenbrink struck out two in relief and worked out of additional trouble in the seventh after a leadoff error and single put two runners aboard.
- The Golden Flyers pulled one run back in the sixth after Haleigh Suitor reached on an error and Ashley Bell followed with a single. With two outs, Alexis Brown lined an RBI single up the middle to score Suitor and cut the deficit to 6-2.
- Nazareth mounted one final push in the seventh when Kaijah Alexander doubled to right-center with one out, but the rally ended on a popup and a strikeout as Geneseo closed out the game with a 6-2 win.
GAME NOTES
- Alexis Brown and Bryanna Moroughan capped off their first collegiate seasons with team-best 2-for-3 days at the plate. Brown added her 25th RBI of the season in the seventh inning to round out an impressive rookie campaign.
- Nazareth finishes 2026 with a program-best 25 overall wins and 17 in Empire 8 action. The Golden Flyers topped their previous record of 21-15, 14-8 from last season.
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