Softball Falls at LIU Brooklyn in Regular Season Finale
Blue Devils travel to Robert Morris for the Northeast Conference Championship next week.
The Central Connecticut softball team dropped a doubleheader at LIU Brooklyn in the final regular season contests on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils entered the day tied atop the Northeast Conference standings, but following a pair of 5-4 losses to the Blackbirds slipped to the second spot.
Central stands at 28-12 overall and 12-4 in NEC play after the losses, while LIU Brooklyn improved to 21-28 overall and 10-6 in NEC play to earn the final spot in the tournament field next weekend.
Game #1 CCSU 4, LIU Brooklyn 5:
The Blackbirds jumped out to a four-run lead in the first game. A double by Lauren Morizi in the bottom of the third brought home Madison Green to make it 1-0. LIU then added a solo homerun by Kylie Mulholland and a two-run shot by Green in the fourth to push its lead to 4-0.
The Blue Devils charged back in the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs. Junior Mackenzie Keyes singled to bring home junior Evie Rentzel. A groundout by junior Katie Schmidt scored sophomore Sarah Drazin to make it 4-2. Freshman Brittany Camara reached base to load the bases again, and after senior Kat Malcolm was hit by a pitch sophomore Sami Duffy scored to make it 4-3.
LIU got one run back with a solo homerun to open the bottom of the sixth from Celinna Cosio and make it 5-3.
Central tried to rally in the top of the seventh when they loaded the bases with two outs. A single by Camara scored junior Hannah Cooper and make it 5-4, but the Blackbirds managed to get a ground out to end the threat.
Keyes finished 2-for-3 at the plate for the Blue Devils to pace the offense. Senior Laura Messina pitched a complete game for CCSU and notched four strikeouts.
Green had two hits for LIU. Nicole Archer got the win and struck out seven, while Shelley Proctor retired the final batter with the bases loaded to earn the save.
Game #2 CCSU 4, LIU Brooklyn 5:
Central built a lead in second game of the day before LIU Brooklyn rallied for the win.
Rentzel opened the second with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Cooper brought her home on a groundout for an early 1-0 lead.
After the Blackbirds tied the contest in the third on a solo homerun with by Morizi the Blue Devils came back to take the lead in the fourth. Rentzel walked to lead off and freshman Tori Constantin doubled to move her to third. A walk to Cooper loaded the bases before Keyes scored Rentzel to make it 2-1.
Central added to the lead in the fifth when consecutive singles by senior Ashley Black and Malcolm put runners on first and second. Junior Eileen Purcell followed with another single to score Black and make it 3-1.
LIU, however, took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning. With two runners on and two outs, Morizi hit her second homerun of the day to score three runs and make it 4-3. After Victoria Zamora walked, an error allowed Nicole Archer to reach base and Zamora to come around to score and make it 5-3.
The Blue Devils rallied for a run in the sixth after opening the inning with consecutive singles. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, before another sacrifice by Schmidt brought home Duffy to make it 5-4.
Central managed to get a runner into scoring position in the seventh, but Proctor kept CCSU off the board to get her second save of the day.
Black and Constantin each collected two hits in game two for the Blue Devils. Messina (24-8) threw a complete game for the Blue Devils and struck out five.
Morizi paced the Blackbirds at the plate with two homeruns and four RBIs. Archer (7-6) picked up the win and threw five innings.
The Blue Devils will play Fairleigh Dickinson in the opening round of the Northeast Conference Championship on Thursday, May 7. The double-elimination tournament will be hosted at Robert Morris.
