WEST HARTFORD, CT ? The University of Hartford softball team split a doubleheader with Central Connecticut State University on Thursday afternoon at the UH Softball Field.
Hartford (19-19 overall) bounced back from a 3-1 loss in the first game to take the nightcap by a 6-2 final. Freshman Amanda Farnan (1-2 overall) picked up her first career victory in the circle while senior Alex Morley hit a home run in the final home game of her career. CCSU (14-25 overall) got a solid outing from pitcher Liz Montemurro (6-3 overall) in the first game.
In the second game, the Hawks got on the board early with three runs in the first inning. Freshman Lauren Kamena and sophomore Sara Messinger drew back-to-back walks to start the rally, and junior Amanda Sais followed with a double to left field to plate the first run. The final two runs scored on a squeeze bunt by sophomore Rachel Clonick. The speedy Sais scored from second on the play after the bunt was fielded and the throw went to first base.
After CCSU scored a run in the second inning on a single by Tiffany Erickson, Hartford got two runs back in the third on a single to left field by junior Danielle Glantz to make it 5-1. Morley then added a solo homer in the fourth?a screaming line drive over the left field fence?to put the Hawks up by five runs.
Farnan made the margin stand, scattering eight hits over seven innings while striking out one and walking three. CCSU had chances for big innings in the second and seventh, but each time the Hawks ended the threat with double plays.
In the first game, CCSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Sara Budrick fouled out down the first base side. The runners tagged to advance on the play, and the throw across the diamond got away from Morley at third and allowed both runners to score. The Blue Devils added another run in the third when Melissa Caron drew a bases-loaded walk, one of four free passes freshman pitcher Amanda Singer issued on the day.
Three of Hartford's five hits in the game came off the bat of Messinger. She singled in the first and third and then capped her game with a solo homer over the left field fence in the sixth.
The Hawks got the winning run to the plate in the seventh after Morley walked with two outs and junior Jackie Simonetty followed with a pinch-hit single. Montemurro, however, got a ground out to end the game. She struck out three and walked only one en route to the victory. Singer (4-8 overall) took the loss for the Hawks, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out three.
Hartford wraps up the regular season with a three-game series at Binghamton University over the weekend. The series gets underway with a doubleheader on Saturday, May 3 at 1 p.m.
