Softball Splits NEC Doubleheader with Merrimack on Saturday
The Central Connecticut softball team split victories with Merrimack in a Northeast Conference doubleheader on Saturday at CCSU Softball Field.
The Central Connecticut softball team split victories with Merrimack in a Northeast Conference doubleheader on Saturday at CCSU Softball Field.
Kaylee Whittaker (10-6) suffered her sixth loss of the season after going the distance for The Blue Devils, allowing eight hits and two earned runs (three unearned) in 7.0 innings. The Blue Devils tallied just four hits and two runs off wild pitches in game one.
Liz Hamilton (9-3) earned her ninth win of the season after going the distance for her team. Hamilton gave up just two hits with one walk in the five-inning shutout. Central Connecticut unleashed 11 hits and eight runs in the five-inning run-rule victory. Kassandra (KC) Machado led the Blue Devils with three hits, three RBIs, and two long balls. Grace Lawton had two RBIs on the day and Paige Stringer mashed her league-leading tenth home run of the season.
GAME INFORMATION
SCORES:
GAME ONE - CCSU 2, MER 5
GAME TWO (5in) - CCSU 8, MER 0
LOCATION: New Britain, CT | CCSU Softball Field
RECORDS: CCSU (22-12) (9-8 NEC), Merrimack (17-26) (11-6 NEC)
KEY MOMENTS – GAME ONE
TOP 1ST: The Warriors got things going early with a two-run home run from Madison Cerpa that gave her team an early 2-0 advantage.
TOP 2ND: Merrimack scored three more runs on self-inflicted errors by the Blue Devils to take a 5-0 lead.
BOTTOM 2ND: With runners on second and third KC Machado scored on a wild pitch to cut the Warrior lead to four (5-1).
BOTTOM 5TH: The Blue Devils scored another run off a wild pitch this time it was senior Meg Gorman.
KEY MOMENTS – GAME TWO
BOTTOM 1ST: Paige Stringer singled with two outs to bring up KC Machado. Machado launched a ball to right field for a two-run homerun to give her team an early 2-0 advantage. Ava Cino followed with a double and Reagan Vunak brought home Cino with a base hit. Sophia LoPiccolo reached on an error and scored with Vunak on a double to right field from Grace Lawton.
BOTTOM 2ND: Ashlyn Desaulniers was hit by a pitch to put a runner on first for The Blue Devils. KC Machado singled with two outs and Ava Cino drove Desaulniers home with a double to extend Centrals lead to 6-0.
BOTTOM 3RD: Paige Stringer and KC Machado hit back-to-back homers to lead off the inning that gave their team an 8-0 cushion going into the final frame.
TOP 5TH: Liz Hamilton finished a tremendous outing with three strikeouts in a row to end the game with an 8-0 victory at CCSU Softball Field.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
10 – Paige Stringer leads the Northeast Conference with 10 home runs. This is her second double-digit homerun season as a Blue Devil (11, 2021).
NOTES:
- The Blue Devils are tied with the Warriors in the all-time series 4-4 after a split with Merrimack on Saturday. The Blue Devils won their previous series with Merrimack last season.
UP NEXT...
The Blue Devils are set to play the series finale tomorrow on Senior Day at 12:00. The ceremony to honor the seniors will start at 11:45.