Softball Splits Series Finale With Merrimack

Central Connecticut State softball splits the final two games of the season on Sunday, picking up a clutch win before falling to Merrimack in Sunday's second game.

GAME 1 INFORMATION
FINAL SCORE CCSU 5 Merrimack 2
RECORDS (8-40, 4-19 NEC) Merrimack (13-28, 9-14 NEC)
LOCATION CCSU Softball Field

KEY MOMENTS

• Sunday's first game was a pitching showdown from both sides. Ashley Antonazzo was dealing, allowing only three hits and striking out two over the first four innings. 
• The Blue Devils were an out away from closing out the top of the fifth inning, but a double followed up by a single quickly put Merrimack ahead 2-0.
• After back-to-back three up, three down innings for the CCSU offense, the Blue Devils were ready to rally in the bottom of the sixth inning. Molly Bruyns reached first after an error from the Warriors and Brooke Fedison quickly advanced her up to third with a laser of a double. After Paige Stringer drew a walk to load up the bases, Kim Howard was hit by a pitch, walking in Central's first run of the afternoon. Another walk for Bri Walker tied things up at two, but Meg Gorman was not content with tying. The shortstop hammered a double out to center field, scoring two more runs and giving CCSU its first lead of the ballgame. Finally, a sacrifice bunt from Matison Piripavel put the Blue Devils ahead 5-2 heading into the final frame.
• The Warriors got a single in the top of the seventh, but the Blue Devils were able to handle Merrimack for their final three outs, securing the victory.

GAME 2 INFORMATION
FINAL SCORE CCSU 6 Merrimack 10
RECORDS CCSU (8-41, 4-20 NEC) Merrimack (14-28, 10-14 NEC)
LOCATION CCSU Softball Field

KEY MOMENTS

• The Warriors were able to take advantage of some pitching violation calls from the umpires to get a sizeable lead early in game two. Five walks and three hits led to a seven run second inning for the Warriors.
• Still looking for their first hit of the ballgame, Bruyns and Fedison got on in the bottom of the third inning by way of the walk. The Blue Devils' first hit came just after this though in the most electric way possible: a three-run home run from Stringer that was a no-doubter as soon as it left the bat, sent all the way out to the deepest part in center field.
• Merrimack tacked on three more runs in the following half-inning to go back up by seven runs. Five singles and a walk pushed the Warriors ahead 10-3.
• The Blue Devils had another great scoring oppurtunity in the bottom of the fourth inning. Gorman led things off with a single out to left field and was quickly hustled along the base path by another single from Dugas. With two outs down, Kristin Rose smacked a single to load up the bases. A wild pitch looked as if it would leave enough time for Gorman to score from third, but a quick reaction from the Merrimack catcher proved to be the difference as Gorman was called out at the plate, ending the inning.
• CCSU put together another three piece in the bottom of the fifth inning. After drawing a walk and advancing to second on a wild pitch, Katie Master made it to third after a single from Fedison. Stringer, looking to add onto her two RBIs, does so with ease, hitting a double out to the same spot her home run ball fell to, though a few feet shorter of course. Stringer's double made it a 10-5 ball game. Walker hit a single after this to score Stringer.
• Fedison and Hannah French each had good hits after this, but the Blue Devils were unable to draw closer of the Warriors