Softball Rallies To Earn Split With Rider

After falling 2-1 in a tight pitchers' duel in the opener of Tuesday's non-conference doubleheader with the visiting Rider University Broncos, the Central Connecticut State University softball came back to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning capped off by a two-run home run by junior Ashlyn Desaulniers to earn a split of the twinbill with a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.  With the split, CCSU is now 2-9 overall so far in 2025, and Rider is now 3-9.

GAME ONE INFORMATION |BOX SCORE

Score:  Rider 2, CCSU 1
Records: CCSU (1-9, 0-0 NEC), Rider (3-8, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: CCSU Softball Field |New Britain, Conn.

GAME TWO INFORMATION |BOX SCORE

Score:  CCSU 5, Rider 4
Records: CCSU (2-9, 0-0 NEC), Rider (3-9, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: CCSU Softball Field |New Britain, Conn.

KEY MOMENTS FROM GAME ONE:

• The Broncos scored unearned run in the second and sixth innings to take a 2-0 lead.
• CCSU lone run in the opener came on a solo home run by junior Skylar warn to open the bottom of the seventh inning.  Warn now has two homers so far this season.
• Senior Alina Varga (1-4) was the hard-luck loser for the Blue Devils in game one working a complete game; in which she allowed only two unearned run on five hits over seven innings, striking out six and issuing six walks.
• Central was limited to only three total hits in the opener, as Rider's Anna-Marie Groskritz earned the victory.

KEY MOMENTS FROM GAME TWO:

• The Blue Devils would grab a 1-0 lead in the second inning of game two on an RBI-single by Skylar Warn that scored Joslyn Teal.  Warn would go 3-for-3 at the plate with 2 RBI in the nightcap.
• Rider plated single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-1 lead.
• CCSU would cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, when pinch runner Adrianna Manory touched home after a wild pitch.
• The Broncos upped their lead to 4-2 in the top of sixth.
• CCSU scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-4 advantage when Skylar Warn had an RBI-double and Ashlyn Desaulniers brought home Warn with a two-run homer to left-centerfield, her first home run of the season.
• Sophomore Adrianna Green would make that 5-4 lead stand up, as she earned her first save of the year, pitching a scoreless seventh inning in relief of starter Liz Hamilton.
• Hamilton earned her first win of 2025, as she allowed four runs over six innings of work in which she gave up 11 hits with six K's and two walks.
• As team, the Blue Devils banged out nine hits in game two on Tuesday.
• Reagan Vunak and Ashley Viesta each had a double in the nightcap.

NOTES:

• With two home runs on Tuesday, CCSU has now hit nine big flys as a team so far in 2025.

UP NEXT

• The Blue Devils will have a busy weekend in New Haven playing five games in three days from Friday through Sunday at the Yale Softball Classic.  CCSU opens action on Friday with contests against Sacred Heart at 12:15 p.m. and host Yale at 4:45 p.m.