UTICA, N.Y. -- Houghton softball fell twice on the road to Utica University in Empire 8 action on Tuesday.

The Highlanders lost 5-3 in the opener and then 9-1 in five innings to close out the day.

Houghton outhit Utica, 10-9, in the first game, but came up just short. The Highlanders went up 1-0 after the first inning, paced by a double from Keri Wesneski that plated Carlee Miller. The Pioneers scored once in the second to tie the score, added two more in the third and another in the fourth to go up 4-1. A Miller sac fly scored Breona Jones and Jennifer Page singled home Lydia Peterson to put the score at 4-3 in the fifth before the hosts closed the inning with their final run to go up 5-3.

Page and Rachel Scharf each had two hits to pace the Highlanders on offense. Olivia Carr allowed five run on nine hits over six innings. She walked three and struck out two.

The Houghton offense never got clicking in the second game as they produced just four hits. The Pioneers spread their 14 hits over the five innings and scored at least one run in each frame. Houghton got its only run in the top of the fifth when Carlee Miller singled home Lydia Peterson. Kareena Ulfig allowed seven runs on 10 hits over four innings. Alisabeth Crandall came on in the fifth, allowing two runs on four hits.

The Highlanders (10-18-1) hosts St. John Fisher on Friday, April 26 at 4 and 6 p.m.