The Houghton College softball team lost 9-1 in game one of the doubleheader against the Alfred University Saxons and lost game two by the score of 5-8 in Alfred, NY Monday evening.

In game one the Highlanders were led by Ashley Schenk (Victoria, BC, Canada, Pacific Christian School) and Sarah Beirne (Port Jervis, NY, Port Jervis). Schenk went one for two with a RBI and Beirne went one for two and scored the only run for the Highlanders in game one. Beirne was credited with the loss in game one and Kerri Keeler earned the win for the Saxons.

In game two the Highlanders were led by Jessica Hayner (Waterford, NY, Shenendehowa) and Adrienne Huston (New Waterford, OH, Crestview High School). Hayner went two for three and Huston went two for three. Combined they scored three of Highlanders five runs. Hayner got the loss and Shannon Schaefer earned the win making her 6-0 on the season.

The doubleheader makes the Highlanders 5-28 on the season and improves the Saxons to 31-3.

In game one took a 6-0 lead after three innings scoring five in the first and one in third.

In the top of the fourth the Highlanders got on the board when Schenk hit a double that scored the speedy Bailey Shattell (Syracuse, NY, Faith Heritage) from first, but the Highlanders failed to score Schenk from second.

The Saxons scored two in the bottom half of the inning and another in the bottom of the fifth making the score 9-1, which put the eight run mercy rule into effect after five innings of play.

In game two the Highlanders struck first when Georgianna Stoj (Depew, NY, Sacred Heart Academy) hit a RBI single that score Huston from second.

The Saxons took back the lead in the bottom of the second scoring two runs on three hits and then added on four more in the third to take a 6-1 lead.

After a scoreless fourth inning the Highlanders began their comeback in the fifth taking advantage of two Saxons fielding errors. The two run surge was spearheaded by Gabrielle Brewster (Oneida, NY, Vernon-Verona Sherrill) RBI single.

The Highlanders continued the scoring in the sixth when Schenk scored on a wild pitch by the Saxons pitcher. Later in the inning with two outs Adrean Tiffany (Loweville, NY, Loweville Academy) came through with a RBI single that scored Hayner from third, which gave the Saxons lead to just two runs.

The Saxons responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own and sat the Highlanders down in order in the seventh.

The Highlanders have their last two games of the year tomorrow at RIT starting at 3 p.m. in Rochester, NY.