Softball Splits Extra Inning Doubleheader at Monmouth

The Central Connecticut softball team split a pair of doubleheaders at Monmouth on Saturday. Both games went to extra innings with the Blue Devils taking a 1-0 victory. Game two reached the tenth inning and the Hawks scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-6 victory. Senior Elizabeth Montemurro took the decision in both games despite not allowing and earned run in 10.2 innings. The split pushes the softball team's record to 23-20-1 and 9-9 in Northeast Conference action.

Game One

Sophomore Kate Hoffman delivered an eighth inning pinch-hit RBI single to score the only run of the game. While Hoffman's hit scored the winning run, it was the pitching of senior Elizabeth Montemurro that won the game for the Blue Devils. Montemurro pitched all eight innings and allowed only three hits and did not walk a batter.

Central had two runners on base in each of the first three innings, but the Hawks starting pitcher Lauren Sulick continued to dance around trouble. She allowed six hits and six walks over her eight innings before the Blue Devils finally broke through in the eighth.

In that inning, sophomore Kelsey Barlow walked, and with one out senior Katherine Knowles picked up her third hit of the game on a single to center. After sophomore Macy Stefanski grounded into a fielder's choice, Coach Franquet sent Hoffman to the plate as a pinch hitter. Hoffman delivered a single up the middle to score Knowles and give Central the 1-0 lead.

Montemurro set the Hawks down in order in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory. Montemurro improves to 9-6 on the season with the victory.

Knowles had three of the Blue Devils six hits in the game. Hoffman, freshman Arielle Bruno, and senior Amanda Dilworth each had a hit in the game.

Game Two

The Blue Devils and Hawks went to extra innings again in the second game, but this time it was Monmouth that walked off in the 10th inning.

The Blue Devils didn't wait to score in the second game. Central jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. A walk, a pair of errors and a wild pitch led to a pair of runs for the Blue Devils.

In the top of the fifth the Blue Devils broke a 2-2 with another pair of unearned runs. Bruno, Barlow and Knowles all had hits in the inning.

The Hawks grabbed a single run in the bottom of the first and then tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth.

Sophomore Jordan Tingley scattered eight hits and allowed only two runs through her first six innings in the circle. In the bottom of the seventh the Hawks got to Tingley for two more runs and the teams went to extra innings tied at 4-4.

Barlow chased home junior Rebecca Mussatti with a single in the top of the eighth inning. The Hawks responded with a run in the bottom of the eighth off of Montemurro who came in relief of Tingley.

After a scoreless ninth inning the tie breaker rule went into effect for the 10th inning. Dilworth had an RBI ground out to score Bruno who had been placed on second to start the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning the Hawks had second and third two outs and scored the tying run and the winning run on an error in the infield.

Montemurro went 2.2 innings and takes the loss despite not allowing an earned run.

The Blue Devils finish their NEC season with a doubleheader at Mount St. Mary's on Sunday.