Softball Wins Eighth-Straight, Sweeps Wagner Saturday
The Blue Devils topped Wagner 1-0 and 3-0 in a NEC doubleheader on Saturday.
The Central Connecticut softball team won two NEC games on Saturday against Wagner in Staten Island to improve to 19-7 overall on the season and 6-0 in Northeast Conference play. Central shutout the Seahawks in both games, topping Wagner 1-0 in the first game before taking game two 3-0. With the victories the Blue Devils have now won eight-straight games, including the last four via shutout. Wagner falls to 9-17 overall and 1-7 in the NEC with the setbacks.
Senior standout Laura Messina was exceptional once again in the circle for CCSU on Saturday, twirling two complete game shutouts to pick up a pair of wins. Messina has now not allowed a run in 32-straight innings pitched spanning over her last six appearances.
Game #1: CCSU 1, Wagner 0
The Blue Devils capitalized on a pair of Seahawk miscues to push across the lone run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs and junior Hannah Cooper on first base, junior Mackenzie Keyes hit a ground ball to the shortstop who was unable to make an accurate throw to first base, extending the inning and moving Cooper to third. Cooper would then score on a passed ball to plate what would be the winning run.
The 1-0 advantage would prove to be enough for Messina as she dealt her ninth shutout of the season in her 16th complete game. Messina held the Seahawks to just two hits over seven frames, striking out nine without issuing a walk. She used 82 pitches to face 26 batters, just five over the minimum, and didn't allow a runner to reach past second base to improve her record to 14-3 on the season.
Freshmen Brittany Camara and Tori Constantin paced the offense for the Blue Devils, picking up a pair of hits apiece. Senior Kat Malcolm and juniors Evie Rentzel and Hannah Cooper also had a hit in the game.
Game #2: CCSU 3, Wagner 0
In game two the Blue Devils opened the scoring with a pair of solo home runs in the top of the second inning. Freshman Tori Constantin and junior Evie Rentzel hit back-to-back home runs to give CCSU the early 2-0 lead. The long ball for Constantin is the fourth of her rookie campaign and the home run by Rentzel marks her second of the year.
The Blue Devils added the third run of the game in the top half of the third inning, again taking advantage of a couple of Wagner errors. With two outs, Senior Ashley Black reached on an error and then advanced to second after a single through the left side by classmate Kat Malcolm. Junior Eileen Purcell would drive in Black following another Seahawk error to give CCSU the 3-0 advantage and victory.
Senior Laura Messina was dominant again in game two as she spun all seven innings for the Blue Devils, posting her NCAA-leading 10th shutout of the season in her 17th complete game. She surrendered six hits and one walk while striking out seven to improve her record to 15-3 in the circle. She has not allowed a single run her last 32-consecutive innings pitched.
Rentzel led the way on the offensive end for CCSU in game two. She finished the game 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.
The Blue Devils will return to the diamond tomorrow as they travel down to Emmitsburg, MD for another NEC doubleheader against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers. First pitch for both games are scheduled for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.