Courtesy: Nazareth Athletics
Sophomore Cassidy Hoffmier hit a pair of doubles and drove in all three runs in a 3-2 win and fellow sophomore Marissa Berghorn had a walk-off hit up the middle to score senior Sarah Simmons as the Nazareth College Softball team won a pair of 3-2 victories over Utica Sunday in an Empire 8 doubleheader.
Nazareth (15-15 overall, 8-6 Empire 8) completed its conference schedule and put itself in good position to earn a spot in the conference tournament as the Golden Flyers sit currently in third place with almost every other team in the conference with at least two games left to play.
Hoffmier provided the bulk of the offense and junior Emily Daciw had another solid pitching effort to lead Nazareth in the opener.
Hoffmier hit a double to the left centerfield wall in the third inning to score junior Hailie Bennett for the 1-0 Nazareth lead.
Utica (12-22, 4-8 E8) tied the score with a solo home run in the fourth inning but Hoffmier hit another double in the fifth as junior Justine Brooks and freshman Katie Schmidt each scored to give the Golden Flyers a 3-1 edge.
The Pioneers scored in the sixth with a run-scoring double but Daciw retired the final two batters to end the threat and keep the lead for Nazareth. She pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to secure the win and finished with five strikeouts and just five hits allowed for her eighth win of the season.
In the nightcap, Nazareth struck first as Simmons homered to straight away centerfield in the first inning and Nazareth had the early 1-0 lead.
Utica tied it in the third as the Pioneers manufactured a run with a walk and a pair of singles to tie the score.
Nazareth regained the lead in the sixth as pinch runner Brooke Hailston used her speed to score on a hit by freshman Maggie Burdick. Hailston was inserted into the lineup after Berghorn doubled to start the rally.
Utica pushed across the tying run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to right field.
A double by Utica in the eighth made things interesting but senior starter Maddie Funk forced a pair of groundouts to end the threat as the game moved to the bottom of the eighth.
Simmons led off the frame with a double to deep left centerfield and after a pitching change; Berghorn delivered the game-winning single to centerfield as Simmons came around to score. The throw home was short and forced the Utica catcher to move several feet in front of the plate to catch the ball allowing Simmons to slide in with the winning run.
Nazareth will wrap up the regular season with a pair of games at RIT Tuesday.
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