Pioneers Split on Day One of ACAA Tournament

The Alfred State softball team split a pair of games on day one of the ACAA Tournament. Finlandia scored three in the 6th to earn a 7-4 victory in the opener but the Pioneers rebounded for a 6-0 victory over SUNY Delhi in an elimination game. 

The Pioneers got the offense going in the 1st inning as they plated three runs. Marissa Varela (Egg Harbor Twp, NJ) collected a RBI single to single, Ashley Peterson (Maybrook/Valley Central) hit a RBI groundout, and Brianna Dittman (Brooklyn/James Madison) followed with a RBI single to right. The Lions answered right back in the bottom of the inning with three of their own. Denia Bent hit a RBI single, Makenna Gorham scored on a wild pitch, and Kyndell Coffman tied it with a RBI single. Finlandia took their first lead in the 3rd when Cassy Lopez hit a RBI single to center. In the 4th, Dittman laced a triple over the right fielders head and scored on a throwing error to tie it up at 4-4.

In the deciding 6th inning, Finlandia took advantage of four Pioneer errors to score three runs to take the 7-4 advantage. In the top of the 7th, the Pioneers put two runners on with one out sending the tying run to the plate but could not score any of Bent who finished the complete game victory.

Dittman was 2 for 3 with a RBI to lead the blue & gold's six hit attack. Coffman was 2 for 3 with a RBI while Bent was 2 for 4 with a RBI at the plate and earned the win with seven innings of work on the mound.

In an elimination game, the Pioneers matched up with SUNY Delhi. Fisher and Molly Greene engaged in a pitcher's duel for the first 4.5 innings of the game.

The Pioneers broke through in the 5th off of Greene. Jamie Parente (Mt. Sinai) hit a RBI fielder's choice to score Madison Papaj (Holley) to plate the first run of the contest. Varela followed with another RBI fielder's choice to plate Angela Martone (Candor) to add to the lead.

In the 6th, the Pioneers bats got hot as they collected six hits and scored four insurance runs. Martone hit a RBI double down the left field line, Morgan Franklin (Wellsville) hit a sac fly to right, Parente followed with a RBI single, and Varela capped the innings with a double to right. The Broncos loaded the bases in the 7th but could not plate a run off of Fisher.

Fisher and Papaj both finished 2 for 3 to lead the Pioneers 10-hit attack. Fisher threw the complete game shutout. She allowed just six singles while not allowing a walk and striking out three. 

Rachael Scoones was 2 for 3 for Delhi as the Broncos end their season with a 11-15 record.

The Pioneers will play a rematch with Finlandia at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The winner will take on Thomas More at approximately Noon in the championship series.

Thomas More defeated SUNY Delhi 8-0 behind a combined no-hitter by Alix DeDreu and Kianah Towe in the other opening round game. Morgan Wells led the offense with a 2 for 3, 2 RBI day. The Saints advanced to the championship series with a 9-0 win over Finlandia. DeDreu was 3 for 3 with 2 RBI and allosed three hits in four innings of work on the mound. Whitney Quillen was also 3 for 3 as TMU collected 13-hits in the game.