Softball Drops Two on Opening Day of College of Charleston Tournament

The Central Connecticut softball team dropped to 6-9 overall on the season with a pair of losses at the College of Charleston Invitational in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. on Friday. CCSU was dealt a 5-0 loss to the University of Connecticut in game one and then suffered a 9-1 defeat to Eastern Michigan in game two.

Game 1 vs. UConn

The Huskies scored once in the first, once in the third and then plated three runs in the fifth inning to move to 9-17 overall on the season.

Central sophomore pitcher Emily Sargent went the distance for the Blue Devils allowing 10 hits and five earned runs while striking out three batters in the game.  She drops to 4-3 overall on the season with the loss.

Freshman second baseman Kaitlin Paterson led the Blue Devils with three hits on the day, pushing her average to .302 on the season.  She has hit in four straight games and eight of the last nine for the Blue Devils.

The Blue Devils had six hits in the setback and UConn pitcher Jill Stockley struck out six in the game.

Game 2 vs. Eastern Michigan

The Eastern Michigan Eagles used a seven-run third inning to power their way to a 9-1 five-inning victory in game two over the Blue Devils. They impove to 9-11 on the season with the win.

Eastern Michigan struck first scoring in the top of the first inning before the Blue Devils tied it up 1-1 in the bottom half of the frame on a RBI single up the middle by senior Evie Rentzel. She plated sophomore Alexis Debrosse who singled earlier in the inning.

That would be all the Blue Devils would manage to score though as the Eagles regained the lead with a run in the top of the second before sending 11 batters to the plate in the top of the third to break the game wide open with a seven-run inning for the 9-1 final decision.

Freshman Alex Casanas started for the Blue Devils and pitched 2.0 innings allowing eight earned runs on six hits and three walks. She slips to 2-6 on the year inside the circle with the loss.

Sargent came on in relief of Casanas and pitched the final 3.0 innings and surrended one earned run on three hits without issuing a walk. She struck out a pair.

The Blue Devils managed just three hits off Eastern Michigan's starting pitcher Abbie Minsker. Rentzel, Debrosse and senior Eileen Purcell each had singles in the setback. Minsker struck out three in the win and improves her record to 3-1 on the season.

The Blue Devils will look to bounce back as they return to action tomorrow for day two of the College of Charleston Invitational. CCSU will faceoff with Miami (OH) at 2:30 p.m. and then play Brown at 7 p.m.