Softball Drops Pair on Friday at Razorback Invitational

The Central Connecticut softball team dropped a pair of contests on Friday to open play at the Razorback Invitational. CCSU fell to Dartmouth, 5-3, in the opener and then fell to Northern Colorado, 8-3. The Blue Devils will play Northern Colorado Saturday afternoon before playing the host, Arkansas, at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, AR. 

The losses drop CCSU to 2-5 on the season. 

DARTMOUTH 5, CCSU 3

Central scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game before Dartmouth came back with a walk-off two-run homerun in the bottom of the inning to win, 5-3.

CCSU opened the scoring in the top of the fourth. Senior Lex Debrosse drew a one-out walk and stole second base. Freshman Sydney Bolan singled to put runners on the corners for junior Kerri Dadalski who singled through the left side to make it 1-0.

Dartmouth responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The first two batters reached base and with runners on second and third, Taylor Ward singled and drove in two runs to make it 2-1. Calista Almer followed with a single and Ward managed to score on an error to push the lead to 3-1. 

Central got a run back in the fifth. Senior Tori Constantin singled to lead off. Freshman Kristen Ulmer came on to pinch run and moved to third on a muffed throw at first base with one out. Debrosse drove her in with a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Freshman Samantha Pizzonia delivered a one-out pinch-hit single in the top of the seventh for the Blue Devils. After she moved to second on a fielder's choice, Debrosse delivered a double to tie the game, 3-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Jade Bravo singled to lead off for the Big Green and moved to second on a sacrifice. Micah Schroder followed with a homerun down the line in right field to win the game for Dartmouth, 5-3.

The Blue Devils cracked six hits in the game, with Dadalski collecting two hits and an RBI. Debrosse was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Sophomore Peyton Silverman tossed 6.1 innings in the circle. She allowed three earned runs, while striking out five without allowing a walk.

The Big Green were led at the plate by Schroder and Ward who each had two RBIs and a run scored on a hit each. Heather Turner got the win in relief, tossing 2.0 innings. She allowed a run on three hits with a strikeout.

N. COLORADO 8, CCSU 3

Central allowed seven runs in the first two innings and were unable to recover against Northern Colorado, falling 8-3.

Lauren Paige and Jordyn Wiatrak recorded RBI singles in the first inning to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. UNC added five runs in the second inning. Kaley Garcia and Wiatrak each drove in a run with a single before Emma Brockmann roped a three-run double to right-center to push the lead to 7-0.

The Blue Devils would get on the board with two runs in the fifth. Sophomore Emily Cronin and senior Brittany Camara would get to first and second with one out. Debrosse followed with a double to score Cronin and make it 7-1. Camara would score on an RBI ground out by senior Brittany McNulla.

The Bears tacked on a run in the sixth when Garcia singled and then moved to third on a wild pitch and a stolen base. She would take advantage of a wild pitch to score for UNC.

Central closed the scoring in the seventh with one run. The Blue Devils would load the bases with one outfor Dadalski who singled to left to score Camara and make it 8-3. The Bears would avoid further damage by getting a double-play to end the game.

CCSU finished with eight hits in the game, with Bolan recording a pair. Debrosse, McNulla and Dadalski each had a hit and an RBI, while Camara had a hit and two runs scored.

Freshman Ashley Antonazzo started in the circle and suffered her first loss of the season. Senior Emily Sargent came on in relief and allowed one run over 4.2 innings of work and recorded three strikeouts.

Brockmann drove in three runs and had two hits for UNC, which finished the game with 12 hits as a team. Valerie Vidal got the win for UNC, striking out four in 5.0 innings of work.

Central is back in action on Saturday, facing Northern Colorado at 1:30 p.m.