Game 1 | Game 2
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UTICA, N.Y. -- Visiting Nazareth gained its first Empire 8 Conference win of the season Friday as the Golden Flyers split a softball doubleheader with Utica. Nazareth won the first game, 4-3, then lost the second, 14-3.

Nazareth is 5-25 overall and 1-9 in conference games. Utica is 16-17 overall and 3-9 in the Empire 8.

In the first game, Nazareth banged out nine hits -- all singles -- including three from freshman Kailey Ritch in four at bats. Junior Casey Mathers earned the pitching win by throwing all seven innings, yielding just five hits and striking out six.

Nazareth scored twice in the second inning without benefit of a hit. Walks to Mandy Weakley and Sarah Cipperly opened the frame. Weakley eventually scored on an infield error and Cipperly crossed the plate on an infield grounder by Jennifer Durso.

Ritch scored Nazareth's third run after leading off the third inning with a single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kasey Pollot and scored on a single by Mathers. Ritch then singled home Rebecca Sadler in the sixth inning for Nazareth's fourth run.

Utica scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to close within 4-3, but Mathers worked out of a jam in the seventh as the Pioneers had runners at second and third with one out. Mathers got the last two outs on a pop-up and an infield grounder.

In the second game, Utica roughed up Nazareth starter Kelly Kocher for nine runs (four earned) in the first two innings. Nazareth scored all three of its runs in the second inning on a three-run homer by Cipperly. Her hit was preceded by a single by Weakley and a double by freshman Shaun Bardanis.

Nazareth hosts Alfred Saturday at 1 p.m. and visits RIT Sunday at 1.