Softball Takes Two From Fairfield on Thursday

The Central Connecticut softball team swept a doubleheader against the Fairfield Stags on Thursday afternoon in New Britain. The Blue Devils earned a 4-3 victory in the first game in walk-off fashion before topping the Stags in the second game 7-2. With the pair of victories, CCSU improves to 15-7 overall on the season. Fairfield falls to 3-15 overall on the year with the setbacks.

Game #1: CCSU 4 - Fairfield 3

Freshman Tori Constantin hit a walk-off single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift CCSU to victory, 4-3, in the first game between the Blue Devils and Stags

Fairfield got on the board early with a run in the top of the first inning off CCSU starter Laura Messina. The Stags loaded the bases with one out and then a single by Gianna Kinhofer to shallow left field drove in the run. Messina struck out the next two batters, however, to limit the damage.

Central answered and tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. Constantin launched her third home run of the season over the left field fence to even the score, 1-1.

The Blue Devils would build a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning. A single by Constantin and double by junior Evie Rentzel to begin the inning put runners on second and third with no outs. Junior Katie Schmidt would then bring home junior Brittany Ernst, who pinch ran for Constantin, after Ernst beat a throw home from the shortstop to make it 2-1.

It was the Stags turn to answer and they did so with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Tori Reed blasted a two-run home run to left center field to give Fairfield back the lead, 3-2.

CCSU would respond, however, and in dramatic fashion. Getting the rally started in the bottom of the seventh inning was freshman Brittany Camara, who singled and then advanced to second on a wild pitch, bringing up senior Ashley Black. The veteran ripped a double to the right center field gap to bring home Camara and knot the game at 3-3.

Fairfield then intentionally walked the next batter, senior Kat Malcolm, sending junior Eileen Purcell to the plate to be the possible hero. Purcell ripped a single between the shortstop and third baseman, but she hit it too hard and Black was unable to score from second base. Constantin was next and with a drawn in infield she smacked one past a diving shortstop up the middle for the walk-off 4-3 victory.

Constantin finished the game 3-for-4 with a home run, pair of RBI's and a run scored.

Messina earned the win in the circle for CCSU, pitching a complete game and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks. She struck out a season-high 14 Fairfield batters in the process to improving her record to 11-3 on the season.

Game #2: CCSU 7 - Fairfield 2

In game two on Thursday, the Blue Devils racked up nine hits and scored seven runs in a 7-2 victory over the Stags. Senior Kat Malcolm went a perfect 3-for-3 in the game with four RBI's to lead the way for CCSU.

Fairfield struck again early with a lone run in the top of the first inning. Tori Reed hit her second home run of the day, this time a solo shot over the left field wall, to give the Stags a 1-0 advantage.

Similar to the first game, the Blue Devils would answer once again in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Brittany Camara reached on a error to lead off the inning and then eventually came around to score on a RBI single by Malcolm.

The Blue Devils wasted little time building on their lead and pushed across three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-1 lead and would never look back. Junior Hannah Cooper drove in the first run of the inning with a double to center field. Central would then get the next two runs on a RBI hit-by-pitch and a RBI walk with the bases loaded. Camara was hit by the pitch to force home Cooper for the first run before Malcolm drew a walk to plate the second.

The Stags would cut the CCSU lead in half with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Sam Frungillo singled to left field with the bases loaded to bring home a run, but junior Evie Rentzel cut down a second runner trying score at the plate to end the inning and keep the CCSU lead at 4-2.

Central would answer to the threat again and brought home three runs in the bottom half of the inning to put the game out of reach. Malcolm crushed a two-run home run deep over the left field fence to bring in the first two runs of the inning. The home run was the fifth of the season for Malcolm. Rentzel came in to score the final run of the inning on a wild pitch and the Blue Devils held on to win 7-2.

Junior Sarah Gaalswijk earned the victory in her first appearance in the circle for CCSU this season. Gaalswijk came in relief for the starter, freshman Emily Sargent, in the fourth inning and pitched two innings, allowing one run on two hits and three walks, while striking out a pair. Senior Laura Messina spun the final two innings without a blemish and struck out three to preserve the win.

The Blue Devils will return to action this weekend with a NEC doubleheader on Saturday at Sacred Heart. The games are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.