Blue Devils Mercy Rule Army in USF Tournament Finale

The Central Connecticut softball team defeated Army 8-0 in six innings in its final game of the USF Michele Smith Invitational on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Devils finish the tournament 3-2, winning their final three games, and improve to 9-2 overall on the season with the victory. Army drops to 7-12 with the loss.

Seniors Kat Malcolm and Laura Messina both had excellent performances to lead the Blue Devils to victory on Sunday. Malcolm paced the offense, finishing the game 3-for-4 with five RBI's, and Messina was excellent in the circle, twirling a complete game, five-hit shutout.

The Blue Devils plated four in the third, two in the fourth and added two in the sixth to build the 8-0 lead and end the game via the mercy rule.

Malcolm got the Blue Devils on the board in the top of the third inning with a bases clearing double to left-center. A Knight error and two singles loaded the bases for Malcolm who came through once again for the Blue Devils with a big hit. Junior Eileen Purcell followed with a RBI single to bring around Malcolm and the Blue Devils had a 4-0 lead and never looked back.

CCSU added to the 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Junior Katie Schmidt singled to center field to drive in classmate Brittany Ernst. Schmidt then came around to score on Malcolm's second hit of the afternoon, a RBI single to left field.

Central put the game away on the eight-run mercy rule in the top of the sixth with Malcom driving in the first run and the second crossing on a catcher's interference call for an 8-0 lead.

The Blue Devils finished with 10 hits in the game, led by Malcolm's 3-for-4, five RBI outburst. Purcell and Schmidt also picked up a pair of hits and a RBI each in the game.

In the circle, Messina was excellent once again. The senior hurled another complete game shutout, her fourth of the season, and only surrendered five hits. She struck out eight and walked one, en route to improving her record to 6-1 on the season.

The Blue Devils will remain in Tampa, FL for the next two days and play USF and Purdue. CCSU will face-off with USF at USF in a single game on Monday night at 6 p.m. and then complete the Sunshine State road trip with a doubleheader against Purdue at the E.C. Moore Complex on Tuesday. Those games are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.