Softball Sweeps Yale in Doubleheader

The Central Connecticut softball team swept a doubleheader from Yale on Thursday afternoon. The Blue Devils took game one 5-1, before topping the Bulldogs 8-2 in the nightcap. The Blue Devils were anchored by complete game pitching performances from sophomore Jordan Tingley and freshman Julie Marks. Junior Rebecca Mussatti hit for the cycle in the second game. Central is now 8-9-1 on the season after the sweep.

Game One

The Blue Devils scored a pair of runs in the third inning and then added a single run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to secure the 5-1 victory. Tingley's only blemish of the afternoon came when she allowed a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning. She allowed only four hits and struck out four in the complete game victory, improving to 3-2 on the season.

Central's offense was sparked in the top of the fourth inning when freshman Stephanie Chotkevys led off the inning with a pinch-hit homerun.

Coach Jeff Franquet again called for a pinch hitter to lead off the fifth inning. This time it was freshman Courtney Collins who delivered with a line drive double off the left field fence. After a sacrifice bunt by freshman Arielle Bruno, Mussatti doubled to score the run and give the Blue Devils a 4-1 lead.

The Blue Devils final insurance run came in the sixth inning. Senior Amanda Dilworth drew a walk and stole second base to start the inning. With one out pinch hitter Kendall Sours slapped a line drive to leftfield for a base hit to put runners on the corners. Junior Sarah Vlahos hit a line drive back up the middle which hit the pitcher. She reached on the single and picked up the RBI as Dilworth crossed the plate.

Tingley put the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the seventh to wrap up the Blue Devil victory.

Freshman Tessa Brown finished the game two-for-two at the plate with an RBI for the Blue Devils. She joined Vlahos as the only Central players with two hits in the game.

Game 2

Mussatti hit for the cycle in game two to lead the Blue Devils to an 8-2 victory. Freshman pitcher Julie Marks dominated the Bulldogs allowing only two runs.

The Blue Devils struck first in the second game scoring a single run. Mussatti doubled down the leftfield line and then scored when the leftfielder misplayed a line drive off the bat of Brown.

Yale threatened to score in the top of the third with a two out single. A double by the next batter put runners at the corners, but Marks struck out the next batter looking to end the inning.

Central scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Freshman Arielle Bruno led off with a line drive single to left. After a passed ball moved her to second base, Mussatti bunted for a single and advanced Bruno to third. Brown hit into a double play to score Bruno. The next batter was sophomore Kelsey Barlow who smashed her fifth homerun of the season deep to left field. That blast gave the Blue Devils a 3-0 lead.

Collins singled to right to lead off the fourth inning. Sours' bunt was thrown away and the Blue Devils ended up with runners on the corners. After a pair of outs Mussatti stepped to the plate and launched a homerun to right field to give the Blue Devils a 6-0 lead.

The two out rally continued with three straight singles by Brown, Barlow and Dilworth plating another run and giving the Blue Devils a 7-0 lead.

The Bulldogs used a walk, single and a two out double to plate their only runs of the game in the top of the sixth inning.

Mussatti completed her cycle with a leadoff triple to start the bottom half of the sixth. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Barlow. That run gave the Blue Devils an 8-2 lead.

Marks finished off the inning and the game. She threw a complete game to improve to 4-3 on the season. She allowed only two runs, and struck out five while walking only one.

Mussatti finished her day four-for-four at plate, she had three RBIs and three runs scored. She doubled in the first, singled in the third, homered in the fourth and then tripled in the sixth. Her homerun was the big blow of the game. It plated three runs and stretched Central's lead to seven.

The Blue Devils return to action on Tuesday at Holy Cross for a doubleheader with the Crusaders.