Softball Sweeps Rider in a Pair of Games Sunday Afternoon

The Central Connecticut softball team won a pair of games over Rider Sunday afternoon while co-hosting the Nor'Eastern Classic Tournament with Hartford in New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils rallied back to win the first game 12-11 and took game two in six innings 18-7 with a walk-off grand slam by sophomore Sydney Bolan.

CCSU improves to 9-10 overall, as Rider falls to 1-20. The Blue Devils are back in action on Wednesday, March 27 for a pair of games at Yale in New Haven, CT at 2 and 4 p.m.

GAME ONE

Freshman Rian Eigenmann led Central with four RBIs and three runs in the first game. Eigenmann scored off an RBI by Bolan to put Central on the board in the first inning. 

Later in the second, the Blue Devils recorded three RBIs in a row from Eigenmann, rookie Carli Backlund, and a double-RBI from Bolan pushing the lead 5-0. The rookie had her second RBI in the bottom of the third inning sending junior Sarah Ogilvie across home plate.

After holding the Broncs scoreless and giving up just two hits in the first three innings, the Broncs got on the board with two runs in the fourth. Rider capitalized with the bases loaded having back to back RBIs before freshman Kari Marks threw her sixth strike out of the game.

Central added another two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-2 lead. Junior Alicia Bertolino hit a double allowing Olgivie to score another run and with the bases loaded freshman Alexa Milius walked sending junior Emily Cronin home.

Being down six runs Rider did not go away and fought back scoring nine runs in the top of the sixth inning to take an 11-8 lead. With a runner on base, the Broncs' second batter hit one out of the park for a two-run homer. With the bases loaded, two batters walked and one was hit by a pitch adding three more runs for the Broncs. Still with the bases loaded and two outs, Wilkinson recorded the first grand slam of the afternoon before Central got the third out on a ground ball to second base.

Trailing 11-8, Eigenmann had another double-RBI allowing Cronin and Ogilvie to score putting Central down just one run. Following Eigenmann, Backlund hit a double sending her classmate home and tying the game 11-11 heading into the final inning.

The Blue Devils forced three quick outs, and with runners on first and third, Bertolino sent one deep into center field allowing junior Giuliana Hathaway to score, giving Central the 12-11 victory. 

The team totaled 16 hits and 12 RBIs at 34 at bats. Marks pitched the first 5 innings throwing six strikeouts. Sophomore Ashley Antonazzo finished the game allowing no hits or runs and had no errors.

GAME TWO

In another high scoring game, Rider started out strong scoring five runs in the top of the first inning including and RBI and a three-run homer. In her first at bat in the bottom of the first, Eigenmann connected on a home run cutting into the lead 5-1.

Central forced three quick outs and Hathaway knocked one out of the park for a two-run homer closing the Broncs lead 5-3. Rider responded in the top of the third when back to back players hit home runs pushing the gap 7-3. CCSU scored two runs in the bottom of the third with a home run by Bolan and an RBI by freshman Carley Stoker.

The fourth inning was quiet with only two hits by the Blue Devils and none from the Broncs. In the bottom of the fifth, Hathaway tied the game 7-7 with a grand slam on her second pitch.

Central allowed no runs in the top of the sixth and blew the game open with nine runs in the bottom of the inning. With a runner on first and second, Milius hit a single-RBI putting Central up 8-7. On the next pitch, pinch runner Alyssa Contreras scored on an error by the pitcher putting Central ahead by three runs. Bertonlino hit another RBI allowing Milius to score and with the bases loaded Eigenmann had a double-RBI extending the lead 14-7. 

With the bases loaded and two outs, Bolan stepped up to the plate. She hit one out of the park for the second grand slam of the game putting CCSU up 18-7 ending the game in six innings.

Antonazzo pitched the final 3.5 innings giving up just one hit and walking one batter. She threw one strikeout and had no errors.