Softball's Winning Streak at Eight Games After Sweep of FDU

The Central Connecticut softball team swept a pair of games from Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils took the opener 8-2 and then came from behind to top the Knights 4-2 in the night cap. The wins give the Blue Devils an eight game winning streak, the longest streak fo Central since 1997. CCSU is now 14-9-1 on the season and 4-0 in Northeast Conference action. Senior Kat Knowles went four-for-six with 4 RBIs including a long two run homerun that proved to be the difference in game two.

Game One

Central's starting pitcher in game one was sophomore Jordan Tingley who dominated the Knights striking out 10 and allowing only one earned run over six innings.

Central got on the board with three runs in the second inning. Senior Amanda Dilworth singled to leadoff the inning and then with one out sophomore Stephanie Chotkevys doubled down the rightfield line chasing Dilworth to third. A pair of ground balls by sophomore Macy Stephanski and Sarah Vlahos score two runners. Then sophomore Kelsey Barlow single home Stefanski who had reached on an error.

The Blue Devils added a run in the third and the fourth. In the fifth the Blue Devils blew the game open with three more runs.

With one out and a runner on first Knowles doubled off the centerfield fence sending pinch runner Kendall Sours to third. Chotkevys reached on an error scoring Sours and then Stefanski drove in Knowles with a base hit. The Blue Devils picked up their eighth run of the game on a wild pitch.

Senior Elizabeth Montemurro pitched the final inning of the game with out allowing a run. Freshman Arielle Bruno and Dilworth both finished the game with three-for-four performances. Tingley earned the win improving to 6-2 on the season.

Game Two

The Blue Devils started slowly in game two as FDU's starting pitcher struck out the first four Blue Devil hitters, but the Blue Devils settled down and started to chip away.

Central was down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. Knowles singled up the middle to score Dilworth tying the game at 1-1. The score remained tied into the bottom of the sixth inning.

With one out Dilworth singled to center, Barlow followed with a double off the wall in center scoring Dilworth from first. After a ground out by senior Erica Koehler moved Barlow to third with two outs. Down 0-2 in the count, Knowles launched a long homerun to centerfield. Giving the Blue Devils a 4-1 lead.

A homerun in the top of the seventh cut the lead to 4-2, but Montemurro settled down to record the final two outs. She earned the win pitching in relief, she is now 4-3 on the season.

Knowles finished four-for-six on the day with four RBIs including the big homerun in the bottom of the sixth.

The Blue Devils return to action on Wednesday when they host Temple in a doubleheader on the CCSU softball field.