Game 1 | Game 2
Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Nazareth's Empire 8 softball playoff hopes took a severe blow Sunday as the Golden Flyers dropped both ends of a doubleheader at RIT. Nazareth squandered outstanding pitching efforts by Kelly Kocher and Lisa Nazarenko in 3-1 and 5-2 defeats.

Nazareth dropped to 12-14 overall and 3-7 in conference games. RIT has sole possession of fourth place in the E8 standings with a 13-15 overall record and a 5-5 mark in conference play.

In the first game, Nazareth managed just four hits against RIT pitcher Carlissa Cole, who pitched both games for the Tigers. Junior Kelley Horbal doubled in the first inning and later scored on an infield error. RIT tied the score with a run in the third as freshman Michell Tabisz scored on the back end of a double steal. The Tigers went ahead for good in the fourth as sophomore Emily McPherson cracked a solo home run.

Kocher pitched six innings for Nazareth and was a hard-luck loser as she gave up five hits and struck out seven. Cole had six strikeouts for RIT.

In the second game, pitchers Cole for RIT andNazarenko for Nazareth matched goose eggs as the game went into the eighth inning scoreless. The Tigers exploded for five runs in the top of the eighth on four hits, including a two-run triple by Cole.

Nazareth answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, but it wasn't enough. Lizzie Barlow drove home both runs with a single. Nazarenko, like Kocher in the first game, was a hard-luck loser as she finished with nine strikeouts.