Softball Drops Two at USF Tournament Friday

The Central Connecticut softball team dropped a pair of games on Friday morning at the Michele Smith Invitational in Clearwater, FL. The Blue Devils fell 6-2 in the first game to Western Michigan and 4-1 to Towson in the second game. With the setbacks, Central is now 6-2 overall on the season.

Game #1 vs. Western Michigan

The Blue Devils committed three costly errors in the game, resulting in four unearned runs, and were handed their first loss of the season to Western Michigan 6-2.

Western Michigan (5-10) struck early and got on the board first with an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning off senior starter Laura Messina. An error and then two consecutive singles by the Broncos gave them the 1-0 advantage.

Western Michigan added two more in the second inning, which began with the Blue Devils making their second error of the game. The Broncos capitalized with RBI singles by Ivy Schaaf and Jenny Rohn.

The Blue Devils made things interesting, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth to make it 3-2. Senior Kat Malcolm doubled to left center to drive in classmate Ashley Black, who singled earlier in the inning, to plate the first run for CCSU. Freshman Tori Constantin followed that with a double of her own to right field to bring home Malcolm.

Western Michigan would respond however, and in a big way. The Broncos answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning on three hits, including a two-run home run from Erin Binkowski to seal the victory.

Messina threw all six innings for the Blue Devils, allowing eight hits and six runs (two earned). She struck out one and walked one. The loss is the first of the season for Messina and she now goes to 4-1.

The Blue Devils could only muster six hits off Western Michigan starter Erin Binkowski, who threw a complete game and tallied four strikeouts.

Game #2 vs. Towson

A three-run home run by Towson's Caitie Barber in the bottom of the sixth inning proved to be the game-winner as the Tigers topped the Blue Devils 4-1 in CCSU's second game on Friday.

Towson (7-3) was the first team to crack the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Kendyl Scott led of the inning with a double to right center and then was brought home two batters later after a single from Missy McCormick.

Senior outfielder Kat Malcolm would tie the game, 1-1, in the top of the sixth with a solo blast over the left field wall. The home run is the first of the season for Malcolm and the 18th of her career.

The Tigers would answer in the bottom half of the inning with the three run shot from Barber. Singles by Scott and Brook Miko put two runners aboard with two outs when Barber sent the ball over the right field fence to deal the Blue Devils their second loss of the day.

Central would threaten in the seventh with a two-out rally that included a double from junior Hannah Cooper and a single from junior Katie Schmidt, bringing the tying run to the plate in freshman Brittany Camara. However, Towson's Missy McCormick got Camara to ground out to third to secure the win.

Freshman Emily Sargent started game two in the circle for the Blue Devils. Sargent worked all six innings, allowing four runs on six hits and struck out one.

The Blue Devils will return to action tomorrow morning with a 9 a.m. tilt against the University of Maine at the Michele Smith Invitational. They will also play at 1:45 p.m. against Colgate.