Softball Sweeps NEC Doubleheader at Home on Sunday

The Central Connecticut softball team earned a pair of victories over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on Sunday afternoon at the CCSU Softball Field in both teams NEC opening games. The Blue Devils (13-7, 2-0 NEC) topped FDU 4-0 in the first game before coming from behind and defeating the Knights 6-3 in the second game. Senior Laura Messina pitched all 14 innings in the circle for the Blue Devils on the day and picked up two wins.

Fairleigh Dickinson falls to 3-11 overall and 0-2 in the NEC with the losses.

Game #1: CCSU 4 - FDU 0

Freshman Tori Constantin blasted a solo home run to left center field in the bottom of the second inning and the Blue Devils never looked back as they topped FDU 4-0 in the first game. The home run was the second of the season for the rookie.

CCSU added two more runs in the fourth inning on a pair of RBI walks. Junior Eileen Purcell and classmate Evie Rentzel both singled to begin the inning and came around to score after three-straight walks allowed by FDU's Megan Reiner. Junior's Hannah Cooper and Mackenzie Keyes were credited RBI's for walking with the bases loaded to bring home the runs.

The Blue Devils added an insurance run in the fifth inning on a solo home run off the bat of senior Kat Malcolm. Malcolm lined the pitch over the right field wall for her fourth home run of the season and secured the 4-0 CCSU victory.

Messina spun a complete game three-hit shutout to earn her ninth win of the season in the circle. She did not allow a runner to reach past second base in the game and struck out 10 Fairleigh Dickinson batters.

Purcell was the only player on either side to record a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a run scored.

Game #2: CCSU 6, FDU 3

In the second game, the Knights jumped out to the early lead with two runs in the top of the third inning. FDU's Emma Deluca and Madelaine Wilen both hit solo home runs off Messina to account for the scoring.

The Blue Devils answered quickly, however, with five runs in the bottom half of the third to take a 5-2 lead. With junior Brittany Ernst and freshman Brittany Camara on the corners, CCSU executed a perfect double steal to score the first run and cut the FDU lead in half. Malcolm then tied the game at 2-2 with a clutch two-out RBI single up the middle to bring home Camara.

CCSU would then take the lead for good after the next batter, Eileen Purcell, hit a two-run home run over the left field wall. Purcell launched her second home run of the season to put the Blue Devils up 4-2.

Central added their fifth run of the inning on a RBI single to right center field from Cooper. Rentzel reached on an error to extend the inning and then moved to second after a walk by Constantin before coming around to score on Cooper's single.

The Knights would chip away at the CCSU lead and plated a run in the top of the fourth inning to make it 5-3. Back-to-back doubles to right center field by Bryana Dorado and Madison Lerma to start the inning scored the run, but Messina limited the damage and got out of the inning leaving FDU base runners on second and third.

The Blue Devils would get the run back in the bottom of the fifth inning to push the lead back to three runs. Malcolm led off the inning with a bunt single and would come around to score on a RBI single by Constantin to give CCSU a 6-3 lead.

Messina would retire the next six-of-seven FDU batters to secure the 6-3 win for the Blue Devils, including two via strike out.

Messina earned her second win of the day pitching another complete game. She allowed three runs on seven hits, one walk and struck out seven. Messina has now pitched 12 complete games on the year and has 108 in her career. She currently has an ERA of 1.11 on the season.

Malcolm had a pair of hits in the second game, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI. Purcell was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI's.

The CCSU softball team will return to action on April 2 with a doubleheader against the Fairfield Stags at home. First pitch for both games is scheduled for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.