Game 1 | Game 2
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UTICA, N.Y. -- Visiting Nazareth split an Empire 8 Conference softball doubleheader with Utica Friday to leave the Golden Flyers with a 3-1 record in conference play and an overall mark of 9-7. Nazareth won the first game, 5-4, and dropped the second game, 4-0.

In the first game, Nazareth built a 5-0 lead in support of junior pitcher Lisa Nazarenko and held on for a 5-4 victory. In the second game, Nazareth suffered its first conference loss of the season as Utica scored four unearned runs of freshman starter Kelly Kocher on the way to a 4-0 win.

In the first game, Nazareth built a 5-0 advantage by scoring three times in the second inning and two more times in the third. Junior Laura Finan and freshman Katie Valerio each had run-scoring singles in the second. Then in the third inning, Lizzie Barlow singled and advanced to third on a double by Laura Persico. Both runners scored on a single by Christa Harris.

The 5-0 lead held up until the bottom of the seventh when Utica scored four times on three hits, including a two-run double by Claire Gerlach to close the gap to 5-4. With Gerlach on second base, representing the tying run, Nazarenko got the last out on a fly ball to right field to end the game.

Nazarenko pitched all seven innings to gain her fifth pitching win without a loss. She had nine strikeouts.

In the second game, all four of Utica's runs were unearned, starting with one in the second inning. Kim Martin singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch by Kocher. In the fourth inning, Martin singled again, stole second and scored on an error.

Two more runs came home in the top of the seventh without the benefit of a hit.

Barlow had two hits in the game for Nazareth, including a double, but the Golden Flyers left six runners stranded on the bases. Kocher pitched all seven innings and had five strikeouts.

Nazareth visits Ithaca Saturday for another doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.