Softball Downed By Dartmouth, Arkansas on Last Day of Razorback Invitational

Central Connecticut softball closed out the Razorback Invitational on Sunday 0-2 against Dartmouth and Arkansas. 

GAME ONE

The Dartmouth Big Green slugged three home runs and added a RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth inning to score six runs to top Central Connecticut 7-2 on the final day of the Razorback Invitational.

Senior Gianna Hathaway and junior Kaitlin Paterson both posted RBI-singles in the top of the fourth inning to lead the Blue Devils (3-7) against its Ivy League opponent who advances to 2-8 on the year.

Dartmouth scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning on a long sac fly to center first. Both teams combined for just one hit in the second and third innings, until the Blue Devils broke the scoring plane in the top of the fourth inning.

CCSU gained two runs on three singles to take a 2-1 lead over the Big Green.

Senior Emily Sargent stepped back into the circle in the bottom of the sixth inning facing Dartmouth's four-five-six batters. Clean-up hitter McKenna Gray and Taylor Ward sent back-to-back hits out of the park to take a 3-2 edge.

A double followed and was enough for Coach Gleason to make a pitching change, bringing in junior Alex Casañas. The switch-up didn't phase the Big Green attack, as Shae Nelson connected on a three-run homer.

Freshman Ashley Antonazzo then came into the circle for CCSU with two on and one out. Dartmouth would find a gap in left center to add on one more run that would be too much for the Blue Devils to weather in their last chance in the top of the seventh inning.

Sargent was credited with the loss and drops her record to 0-3.

GAME TWO

Senior Lex Debrosse and freshman Sydney Bolan both homered in Central Connecticut's final game of the Razorback Invitational against the tournament host Arkansas. The Blue Devils were edged 6-5 and out-hit their SEC opponent 7-6. 

Central Connecticut moves its record to 3-8 on the season and Arkansas improved to 16-1. 

CCSU struck first in the top of the first inning with one run off of a Razorback error from the second baseman and held them scoreless until the bottom of the third inning.

Haydi Burgarin connected on a solo homer to straight-away center to tie the ball game at 1-1. Bolan responded with a home run of her own in the Blue Devils next at bat.

Arkansas would score twice more in the bottom of the fourth inning, to take its first lead of the contest at 3-2. Debrosse put CCSU back on top after ripping a deep two-run shot over the center field fence.

The back-and-forth action continued as the Razorbacks drove in two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on three hits, including what would be the game-winning home run from Ashley Diaz.

In the top of the sixth inning, down by two, Central junior Kaitlin Paterson scored Kristen Ulmer on a hard single to left field to make the score 6-5. Sophomore Peyton Silverman retired the side in order giving her team an excellent chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the seventh inning.  

However, Mary Haff would seal the save with three strikeouts in the final opportunity for CCSU. 

Silverman went all six innings in the circle for Central and drops her record to 1-4 on the season.

Sophomore Emily Cronin went 2-for-3 at the plate and Debrosse led the blue and white with a pair of RBI's. 

Central Connecticut will play five games on March 9-11 in Clearwater, FL for the Univeristy of South Florida Under Armour Showcase.