Game 1 l
Game 2 l
Updated statsROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Nazareth swept a doubleheader against Elmira on Saturday in the teams' first conference games. The Golden Flyers held off the Soaring Eagles 8-5 in game one, and Nazareth dominated Elmira 9-1 in game two. Sophomore
Meghan Barry hit her first-career home run in the bottom of the third in the second game.
With the victories, Nazareth improves to 9-5 overall and 2-0 in Empire 8 games. Following the losses, Elmira falls to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in conference games.
In game one, Elmira had runners reach third in the first two innings but were unable to score. In the second inning, the Golden Flyers completed a triple play to frustrate the Soaring Eagles. With runners on first and third, Kennedy Harper tried a sacrifice bunt, which was fielded by Pike and thrown to
Sarah Papponetti, who was covering first. Hannah Lundgren tried to score from third, but Papponetti's throw to
Sophia Rhoades caught Lundgren at home. Rhoades threw to
Morgan Ross to collect the third out as the runner tried to advance on the play.
Like Elmira, Nazareth had runners reach third in the first two innings but left them stranded. In the first, sophomore
Emily Graham doubled and took third on a wild pitch. The Soaring Eagles collected the last two outs to keep the Golden Flyers scoreless. In the bottom of the second, Kelsey Condidorio collected the third out on a strike out.
The Golden Flyers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, and they scored five times in the fourth to take command of the game. Graham gave Nazareth the lead when she scored on a passed ball. In the fourth, the offense took advantage of three errors and a passed ball. Freshman
Stephanie Mongelli's lead-off single started the scoring outburst. She scored on a misplayed fly ball to center. Graham doubled the Golden Flyers' lead, 4-0, on a two-run double. She scored on another outfield error, which allowed Pike to reach base. Mongelli's second hit of the inning scored Pike for the six-run lead.
The Soaring Eagles rallied with four runs in the top of the fifth to get back in the game. The first three batters reached to load the bases. Jacquelyn Heggie's double scored all three runners. Heggie scored on a grounder to second to cut Elmira's deficit to 6-4. Papponetti ended the frame by chasing down a pop-up behind first.
In the sixth, Nazareth reclaimed a four-run lead when its first three batters reached. Junior
Maureen Rogers opened the inning with a single. Pike and Rhoades followed with consecutive doubles. Rogers scored on Pike's hit, and Pike scored on Rhoades' hit.
In the seventh, Elmira's Katie Day hit a lead-off home run to cut the deficit to three runs, however, the Golden Flyers' lead was not threatened.
Sophomore
Nicole White earned her third win of the game for Nazareth. She pitched five innings and allowed four runs while striking out three. Senior
Nicole Bayona pitched the final two innings and allowed only Day's homer. Condidorio took the loss for the Soaring Eagles as she allowed eight runs on seven hits in five innings.
In the second game, the Golden Flyers scored seven times in the first three innings to take command. In the first, Graham hit a one-out single to center and advanced to third on a single by Rogers. Graham scored moments later on a single by Rhoades.
In the second inning, Barry opened the inning with a single to center, and she crossed home on a single by Ross. Papponetti, who reached on an error, gave Nazareth a 3-0 lead when Graham reached on a fielder's choice. A single by Rogers moved Graham to third. Both runners scored on a throwing error by Elmira's pitcher, Katie McDougal. Rhoades' second single of the game brought home jPike.
Barry's homer in the third inning stretched the Golden Flyers' lead to seven runs. In the top of the fourth, Elmira found the scoreboard on a double by Emily Carlin, which scored Jacquelyn Heggie.
After being held without a run in the fourth inning, Nazareth ended the game in the fifth inning when two runs scored for the eight-run margin. Graham's one-out single started the offense, and she scored when Pike reached on an error. Rhoades ended the game with a double to score Pike.
Junior
Danae Wetherbee recorded the win as she held Elmira to only two hits and the lone run. It was her second victory of the season. McDougal took the loss for Elmira. She allowed eight hits and seven runs in two innings of action. Carlin pitched the final two and two-thirds innings. She allowed four hits and one run.
Nazareth will look to stay undefeated in Empire 8 action when the Golden Flyers host Stevens in another doubleheader on Sunday. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
