Pioneers Score 13 in Nightcap to Earn Split at LaRoche

The Alfred State softball team split a road AMCC doubleheader at LaRoche on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers took the nightcap, 13-10, after falling in the opener 3-2.

In the nightcap, the Pioneers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning. Kailey Wonica (Staten Island/Moore Catholic) drove in Sarah Boyce (Cortland) on a RBI ground out. Audrey Farrell (York/Notre Dame) scored on a fielding error, Brianna Dittman (Brooklyn/James Madison) drove in Wonica with a ground out to the pitcher, and Emma Smithers (Waterloo) singled to left center to score Brittany Fisher (Indianapolis, IN). The Redhawks answered with a two run homer in the bottom half of the inning.

The blue & gold scored the next eight runs of the game. Fisher hit a two-run single to center in the 2nd to make it 6-2. In the 3rd, Angela Martone (Candor) drove in Smithers with a RBI on a error by the pitcher, Boyce followed with a two-RBI double to right field, Farrell hit a RBI groundout, and Boyce scored on an error.

LaRoche answered back with four of their own in the bottom of the 3rd but the Pioneers plated a pair of runs in the 4th. Jade Parsons (Ovid/South Seneca) and Martone were credited with RBI. The Redhawks made it 12-7 with a single run in the 4th.

The game remained 12-7 until the 7th when Wonica hit a solo homer to center field. LaRoche tried to put together a rally and scored three in the 7th but couldn't get any closer.

Wonica finished 3 for 5 with 3 RBI to lead the Pioneers in game two. Smithers was 2 for 4 with a RBI, Boyce was 2 for 5 with a RBI, and Fisher drove in three. Fisher also earned the win on the mound with 4.1 innings of relief. She allowed seven hits, three earned runs, walked one, and struck out five.

The opener was a pitcher's duel as Fisher and Alexa Young faced off. The Pioneers scored first when Dittman scored on a fielding error. The game remained 1-0 until the 6th when the Redhawks plated a pair of runs.

In the 7th, Wonica led off with a double and scored on an error to tie it up. LaRoche was able to load the bases in the bottom half of the inning and with two outs, Devan Smith a walk-off single to right to give the Redhawks the win.

Wonica, Fisher, and Dittman were each 2 for 4 in the contest. Fisher threw 6.2 innings and allowed 10 hits and two earned runs. She didn't walk a batter and struck out three.

The Pioneers head to Pitt-Greensburg on Sunday for a Noon doubleheader.