Softball's Season Came to an End After Two Close Losses in NEC Tournament

The Central Connecticut State University softball team dropped two games and were eliminated from the 2021 Northeast Conference Tournament on Friday. The Blue Devils fell in a tight first game versus #1 seeded Saint Francis. With the loss, Central went into the losers bracket, where the team would take on the Sharks of LIU. CCSU hit six home runs in game two, but couldn't hang on and lost 9-7 to LIU. Central finishes the season with a 23-15 overall and 20-8 in NEC play.

GAME ONE

Score: Central Connecticut 1, Saint Francis U 2

Records: CCSU (23-14, 20-8 NEC), SFU (39-8, 22-2 NEC)

Location: Red Flash Softball Field | Loretto, PA

Pitching Records: W: Vesco (22-3) | L: Hunte (4-2) | Sv: --

KEY MOMENTS

• Both starters were excellent early, with just one combined hit through the first two innings of play. Central's Kaylee Whittaker recorded a strikeout and worked her way out of jam in the first, after walking two batters.

• The Blue Devils had a runner on second, when Carli Backlund singled down the right field line. Rian Eigenmann came home to score, giving CCSU a 1-0 lead. 

• The Red Flash came back to tie the ballgame in the fifth inning, after Allyn Beziak hit a sacrifice fly in left field. Central had a chance to regain the lead in the bottom half of the inning with one out and runners on second and third. Eigenmann then grounded out to third and Backlund popped up to the pitcher and the score remained notched at 1-1.

• Central couldn't get the bats going in the final two innings, obtaining just one base runner and no hits. Saint Francis led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double by Mekenzie Saban. Anaya Hunte retired the following two batters, but Allyn Beziak ended the game with a walkoff single to center field. With the loss, the Blue Devils fell to 0-5 against SFU this season and were sent to the losers bracket, awaiting the winner of Sacred Heart and LIU.

GAME TWO

Score: Central Connecticut 7, Long Island University 9

Records: CCSU (23-15, 20-8 NEC), LIU (27-8, 25-6 NEC)

Location: Red Flash Softball Field | Loretto, PA

Pitching Records: W: Woodson (14-3) | L: Antonazzo (4-5) | Sv: --

KEY MOMENTS

• Rian Eigenmann led off the first inning the way she often does, with a base hit and a stolen base. She made her way to third on a wild pitch and the Blue Devils were sitting pretty with a runner on third and no outs. However, Central could not find a way to bring her home and went scoreless in the first.

• The Sharks were the first to strike, hitting a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning. Maya Avila hit a two-run shot and Samantha Garcia knocked a solo homer giving LIU a 3-0 lead.

• Central was able to respond in the bottom half as Bri Walker stayed scorching hot, drilling her third solo home run of the tournament and cut LIU's lead to 3-1. Central had runners on second and third with no outs following the homer, but again left the runners stranded.

• Long Island quickly got three runs back the following inning, after Maya Avila hit a three-run home run, extending the lead to 6-1.

• With the Blue Devils down five, right fielder Kim Howard stepped up and blasted a two-run shot to right field. It was the fifth home run of the season for Howard and made it a three run game.

• LIU got a run back, but that didn't deter the Blue Devil bats. The 8 and 9 hitters Meg Dugas and Meg Gorman hit back-to-back jacks cutting the lead to 7-5 in the fourth.

• The Central bats stayed on fire with another pair of dingers, this time from Rian Eigenmann and Carli Backlund in the bottom of the sixth. The blasts tied the game at seven a piece.

• CCSU pitcher Ashley Antonazzo retired the first two batters in the seventh, but LIU started to rally. The Sharks loaded the bases and with two outs Camryn Lyman singled through the ride side, scoring two runs. LIU took a 9-7 lead and held on to defeat Central, advancing to the NEC Championship.