Softball Sweeps, Gets to 31 Wins
The Central Connecticut softball team won its 30th and 31st games of the season on Sunday, setting a new CCSU single-season record for wins.
The Central Connecticut softball team swept a doubleheader from Bryant on Sunday to close out the regular season. The victories give the Blue Devils 31 for the season, which sets a new single-season record. The Blue Devils (31-19, 11-9 NEC) won the first game 6-2 and then took game two 14-3 behind an eight run first inning.
Game One
The Blue Devils took game one by a score of 6-2 behind seven innings from freshman Laura Messina and a grand slam by sophomore Arielle Bruno.
Freshman Alyssa McCoart got the Blue Devils on the board with a solo home run in the top of the second inning.
Bruno upped Central's lead to 6-0 with a grand slam in the five run fourth inning. Freshman Kat Malcolm doubled to start the inning and McCoart walked with one out. Junior Macy Stefanskireached on a fielder's choice to load the bases and pinch hitter Sarah Emery singled to score Central's first run of the frame. Bruno was the next batter and she came through with a long drive over the left field fence.
Messina (22-11) limited the Bulldogs to two runs on eight hits as she picked up her 22nd win of the season. Messina went the distance earning her 26th complete game of the season. She struck out eight and walked just one batter.
Both of Bryant's runs came on a two-run home run in the sixth inning.
The home run was the seventh of the season for Bruno. She went three-for-four in the game.
Junior Nicole Springer and freshman Ashley Black both had a pair of hits in the game.
Game Two
Bruno started game two with an infield single, black walked and Brown singled to load the bases. Springer was hit by a pitch to force in a run and Malcolm walked to plate the second run of the game. Senior Sarah Vlahos reached on an error, which led to a pair of runs.
After a walk by McCoart, Stefanski hit into a fielder's choice, which scored a run and a second run came in because of a throwing error on the play. After a fly out, Bruno walked and an error on a ground ball hit by Black loaded the bases again. Brown reached on an error, which forced in a run, and Springer singled off the pitcher to score the final run of the frame.
In all, the Blue Devils scored eight runs on three hits in the inning.
The Blue Devils added a single run in the second inning when McCoart hit an RBI double that scored Vlahos who had walked to start the frame.
Central loaded the bases again in the fourth inning and a walk to Black forced in the tenth run.
A RBI double by Stefanski and a three-run home run by junior Stephanie Chotkevys helped the Blue Devils score four more runs in the fifth inning.
Senior Abby Harpp worked the bottom half of the frame to keep her team ahead and end the game because of the eight run rule.
Junior Jordan Tingley (6-3) worked the first four innings to earn the victory. She allowed just one unearned run on five hits. She walked two and struck out two.
Bruno, Springer and McCoart all had two hits in the game.
Chotkevys drove in a game-high three runs.
The previous single-season win record of 29 was set last season.
"Today was a nice way to end the season, obviously, we fell short of our ultimate goal of reaching the NEC Tournament," head coach Jeff Franquet said after the sweep. "We pitched and hit well today, the sweep was a nice way for us to end the season. As a program I think it is nice that we passed last year's win total and that we can say our team had a 30-win season."