Softball Sweeps Mount to Improve to 11-9 in NEC

The Central Connecticut softball team swept Mount St. Mary's on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Devils took game one 10-5 and then came from behind to win the second game 8-7. The wins improve Central's record to 25-20-1, and 11-9 in Northeast Conference action. The 11 wins are the most ever for a CCSU softball team in NEC play. Senior Elizabeth Montemurro earned the win in both games. She improves to 11-7 on the season.

Game One

The Blue Devils rolled the Mountaineers in the first game. Both teams scored a run in the first inning, and Central scored six runs in the top of the second, but the Mount answered with four of their own in the bottom half to cut the lead to 7-5. A pair of runs in the fifth and another in the sixth carried the Blue Devils to a 10-5 victory.

Hits from senior Katherine Knowles and freshman Tessa Brown helped capitalize on a Mountaineer error, to give the Blue Devils an early 1-0 game.

Central exploded in the second inning for six runs on seven hits. Knowles had the big blow of the inning a two run double to left center that plated a pair of runs. Knowles, junior Sarah Vlahos, and sophomore Kelsey Barlow all had RBI doubles in the inning.

Freshman Arielle Bruno drove in both runs in the fifth inning with a two run triple. In the sixth the Blue Devils again capitalized on a Mount St. Mary's error to score a run, this time on a single by sophomore Macy Stefanski.

Senior Elizabeth Montemurro went the distance despite allowing five runs. She scattered seven hits and struck out two batters in her seven innings of work. She improves to 10-7 on the season with the win.

Game Two

The Blue Devils built a three run lead in the second game, but it evaporated quickly as Mount used a four run fourth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Another run in the fifth gave the Mountaineers a 7-5 lead heading to the top of the sixth.

In the sixth, Bruno and senior Amanda Dilworth walked to load the bases, and then Knowles singled to load the bases with nobody out. Barlow hit a ground ball to second which forced Bruno out at the plate for the first out of the inning. Dilworth then scored on a wild pitch and sophomore Stephanie Chotkevys hit a ground ball which scored Knowles, and tied the game at seven.

Central plated another run in the seventh to take the 8-7 lead. Stefanski walked to lead off the inning. She was bunted to second by Vlahos and then advanced to third on a ground out by Bruno. She then score on a wild pitch giving the Blue Devils the lead.

Montemurro pitched the last three innings in relief to earn her second victory of the day. Knowles finished the day six-for-eight with five runs batted in. Bruno was four-for-eight on the day with a pair of RBI.

Central wraps up the regular season with non-conference games against Holy Cross, Hartford and Seton Hall. The Blue Devils must wait for the completion of other games around the NEC to determine if they have reached their first conference tournament.