Softball Hits Three Homers in Home Win Wednesday

The Central Connecticut softball team topped the Holy Cross Crusaders by a score of 8-1 on Wednesday afternoon at home in New Britain, CT. Three Blue Devils notched homers on the day, including a grand slam in the bottom of the second from sophomore Evie Rentzel.

With the win, the Blue Devils improve to 13-9 on the season.

Senior Julie Marks pitched a complete game against the Crusaders (4-11) earning her first win of the season. Marks tallied five strikeouts while allowing seven hits, one run and walking two. Her record improves to 1-3.

Central scored one in the bottom of the first on a solo homer off the bat of senior Arielle Bruno to take an early 1-0 lead. The Blue Devils followed up in the next inning with a Hannah Cooper RBI double to increase the lead to two before Rentzel broke the game open with a two-out grand slam in the second.

Rentzel plated junior Kat Malcolm, Bruno and Cooper on the play, putting Central up 6-0.

In the bottom of the third, freshman Sarah Drazin led off the inning with another solo blast, her career first, to lift the lead to seven.

The Crusaders posted their only run in the top of the fifth, ultimately avoiding a mercy rule, on a single up the middle by Sarah Free.

Central responded with another in the bottom of the fifth on a hard single up the middle from Bruno to drive in pinch runner Ashley Black and conclude the day's scoring.

Central tallied 10 hits in 27 at bats, left eight runners stranded on base and completed the game with a perfect fielding percentage. Holy Cross posted seven hits in 27 at bats, left seven on base and committed one error.

The Blue Devils were led on offense by Rentzel who went 3-for-4 at the plate including a home run. Rentzel also drove in four RBI and scored once. Bruno also performed well for CCSU, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, crossing the plate twice. Sophomore Eileen Purcell registered two hits as well while Malcolm, Drazin and Cooper each added one.

Maggie Goldberg takes the loss for the Crusaders, giving up six runs on six hits in 2.0 innings pitched.

The Blue Devils will remain home for their next contest, an NEC doubleheader against the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds on Saturday, April 5. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.