Softball Finishes Hampton Tournament, 3-1

The Central Connecticut softball team fell to Hampton by a 3-1 score on Sunday afternoon.  The Blue Devils (10-7) allowed two unearned runs in the seventh inning as the Lady Pirates (11-15) came back from a 1-0 deficit.  Junior Kelsey Barlow drove in Central's only run.

The Blue Devils scored a single run with a two out rally in the bottom of the first.  Sophomore Tessa Brown drew a walk and then advanced to second on a base hit by junior Nicole Springer.  Barlow followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Central's first run of the game.

The Lady Pirates answered back with a run on two hits in the top of the second off Blue Devil freshman Laura Messina.

From that point the game turned into a pitcher's duel as neither starter allowed anther run to score until the seventh.

Messina stranded a runner at third in the third inning and then set down the side in order in the fourth and fifth.  In the sixth, she allowed a one out single, but got a strike out and infield pop-up to work out of the frame.

Hampton rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.  Both Hampton runs in the inning were unearned as they came around to score on a two out error in the outfield.

Central tried to rally in the bottom of the inning with freshman Alyssa McCoart reaching on an error and senior Macy Stefanski singling.  Freshman Ashley Black bunted sending the runners to second and third with two outs, but the Blue Devils were unable to score the tying runs.

Messina pitched a complete game in the loss.  Only one of Messina's three runs allowed was earned.  She limited the Lady Pirates to four hits and struck out six while walking two.  She falls to 5-3 on the season.

"Laura pitched well today, but we weren't able to support her," head coach Jeff Franquet said after the game.  "We'll put it behind us and move on to Norfolk State tomorrow."

The Blue Devils return to action with a doubleheader at Norfolk State tomorrow.  Central and Norfolk will also play a doubleheader on Tuesday.