Softball Notches First Win of the Season

Central Connecticut State University softball picked up its first win of the season in Friday's Northeast Conference opener over Fairleigh Dickinson, taking a 2-1 win over the Knights in game 1 of the doubleheader. CCSU rallied from a 2-0 deficit in game two to tie things up, but the Knights were able to sneak away with a win late.

GAME 1 INFORMATION
FINAL SCORE CCSU 2 FDU 1
RECORDS CCSU (1-18, 1-0 NEC) FDU (6-12, 0-1 NEC)
LOCATION CCSU Softball Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• It was a pitcher's duel through the early goings of Friday's first game. Both teams went hitless through the first 3.5 innings. Kari Marks struck out two Knights over the span to keep them off the board.
•  Paige Stringer got the Blue Devils' bats going with a laser of a single out to center field.
• The Knights got their offense going shortly after, though, and were able to get on the board first in the top of the fifth inning. FDU hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning, and were able to score the first run of the day in a fielder's choice.
• Facing a 1-0 deficit, the Blue Devils came roaring back in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to some clutch hitting and patience at the plate. Ashley Antonazzo came into the game for Marks and delivered two shutdown innings for CCSU.
• Meg Gorman started the rally with a hard hit single. Stringer moved her along the base path with another single. Bri Walker battled at the dish, and after falling behind 0-2 early, the senior hit a clutch ball that gave CCSU the lead. The Knights tried to get the force out on Walker, but missed on the throw, giving enough time for two Blue Devils to cross the plate and retake the lead.
• CCSU had to sweat out the final frame a bit as the Knights got one runner in scoring position, but Antonazzo was able to force a groundout to secure CCSU's first win of the season. 

NOTES

• Stringer led the Blue Devils with a multi-hit game.
• Marks and Antonazzo combined for four strikeouts against FDU and allowed only two hits all game.

GAME 2 INFORMATION
FINAL SCORE CCSU 2 FDU 5
RECORDS CCSU (1-18, 1-1 NEC) FDU (7-12, 1-1 NEC)
LOCATION CCSU Softball Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• FDU's bats were clicking early in game two Friday. The Knights hit two straight doubles to the outfield that gave them an early 1-0 lead after two innings.
• CCSU wasn't letting the Knights' offense have all the fun, as the Blue Devils started getting the bats moving in the bottom of the second inning. Howard got things started with a leadoff single. Matison Piripavel got her to third with a single of her own. Alex Rodgers drew a walk to load up the bases, but the Knights were able to get out of the jam by forcing the groundout.
• Kaylee Whittaker, who came in relief for Antonazzo in the top of the fourth inning, delivered two strikeouts in the top of the fifth to get out of a jam.
• With two outs already down in the top of the sixth inning, the Knights tacked on another run. FDU drew a walk to start, stole a base and sent a runner home with a ball hit out to the centerfield gap, rolling down to the fence and giving the runner enough time to score. Whittaker delivered a clutch punchout to get out of the inning.
• Jazmin Lasane started a rally in the bottom of the sixth inning with a hard hit leadoff single. Stringer drew a walk on the next at bat. Walker, who was the hero of game 1, stepped up to the plate and delivered. She hit a single out to left, and then the Knights botched the throw in, giving CCSU enough time for both of their base runners to score and tie the game back up at 2.
• After the impressive rally in the top of the sixth, the Knights led off the bottom of the sixth with a dagger of a triple that traveled just past Howard's glove in right field. After getting an out, the Knights hit back-to-back home runs that scored three FDU runs in two swings of the bat.
• After a scary collision in the outfield, Alex Rodgers led off the final frame and delivered with a hard hit ball to center field that got her on, but the Blue Devils were unable to claw back into this one as the Knights struck out the final three CCSU batters. 

UP NEXT...

The Blue Devils wrap up the series with FDU on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. game.