WEST HARTFORD, CT ? The University of Hartford softball team split a doubleheader against Stony Brook University on Wednesday afternoon at the UH Softball Field, winning the first game 1-0 before dropping the second by a 4-2 final.
Hartford (14-9 overall, 3-5 America East) got a strong outing from sophomore Brittney Stratton in the first game. She hurled seven scoreless innings to pick up her fourth shutout and improved to 10-3 on the season.
The opening game was a pitchers duel between Stratton and Stony Brook's Alyssa Struzenberg. After five scoreless innings, the Hawks finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth and scratched across a run on an RBI single by sophomore Olivia Piacentini.
Stratton took care of the Seawolves in order in the seventh. She gave up two hits over seven innings and struck out five while walking three. Struzenberg allowed one run on four hits and fanned eight while walking one.
Struzenberg also got the start for the Seawolves (16-15-1 overall, 3-5 America East) in the second game. Her teammates staked her to a 2-0 lead in the fourth after finally getting to Hartford starter Amanda Singer. A two-out walk to Vicki Kavitsky started the rally, and Kelly Oberto followed with an infield single. Kavitsky then stole third and scored on an errant throw, and Casey Jacobs plated the second run with a double to left field.
Stratton replaced Singer and got the final out of the fourth. She then gave up two more runs in the fifth as the Seawolves pounded out three hits in the frame, one more than they had off Stratton in the entire first game. Marissa Fleury drove in a run and beat out a tapper back to the circle for an infield hit, and Jade Clare squeezed in the final run from third with a bunt.
Hartford got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth on a leadoff homer by junior Kristen Cericola. The Hawks then loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth but came away with only one run. Jacobs came in to relieve Struzenberg and got three ground balls to end the threat.
Struzenberg worked five innings and gave up two runs on four hits while striking out 10. Jacobs allowed one hit over two innings to earn her first save of the year. Singer took the loss and dropped to 4-6 overall, surrendering two runs on four hits while striking out three in 3.2 innings. Stratton worked 3.1 innings and gave up two runs on three hits while striking out three.
Hartford will next play a three-game series at Boston University. The Hawks and Terriers will start the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 12 at 1 p.m.
