Lady Pioneers Can't Capitalize on Opportunities

The Alfred State softball team was unable to get the timely hit as they fell 9-5 to Nichols and 4-0 to Edgewood on Sunday afternoon at the Gene Cusic Classic in Naples, FL. The Lady Pioneers stranded 20 runners on base in the doubleheader.

In the opener, Nichols benefited from seven walks and jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the 1st. The Lady Pioneers answered back with a RBI double by Lura O'Keefe (Allegany Limestone) in the bottom half of the inning. 

The Bison and Pioneers traded single runs in the 2nd and 3rd. The blue & gold scored on a fielding error in the 2nd and a RBI single by Amanda Rockefeller (Bolivar Richburg) in the 3rd.

The game remained 7-3 until the 5th when Allison Gibson (Arkport) and Claire Hartman (Alden) collected two-out RBI singles. Gibson and Hartman were stranded on base to end the inning.

Nichols added two insurance runs in the 7th and retired the Lady Pioneers in order in the bottom of the inning to earn the victory.

Gibson, Hartman, and O'Keefe were all 2 for 4 with a RBI for Alfred State. Tonia Tinker (Alfred Almond) came out of the pen and kept the Lady Pioneers in the contest. She allowed three earned runs while walking and striking out three in seven innings of work.

Versus, Edgewood the Lady Pioneers had chances in six of the seven innings but could not plate a run. They stranded 12 runners on base including the bases loaded in the 2nd.

Edgewood scored all the runs they needed in the 2nd when they took advantage of four walks to score two runs. They added two unearned insurance runs in the 6th.

Rockefeller was 1 for 1 and drew two walks to lead the Lady Pioneers. Tinker came out of the pen again and was solid. She tossed 4.2 innings and didn't allow an unearned run while striking out five.

The blue & gold are back it bright and early on Monday when they tangle with UMASS-Dartmouth at 9 a.m. and Geneva at 11 a.m.