Albany, NY - The University of Hartford softball team split a doubleheader with the University at Albany on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks were blanked by the Great Danes in the first game by a 6-0 final behind a no-hitter by Leah McIntosh, but bounced back for a 6-2 victory in the second game.
Albany pitcher McIntosh struck out 12 of 21 on the afternoon en route to a 6-0 Great Dane victory over the Hawks in the opening game of the doubleheader. In addition, the junior chalked up her third perfect game of the season while improving her overall record to 11-1 with the win. Sophomore Andrianna Walraven highlighted the Albany offense, finishing 1-for-3 and crossing the plate twice for the Great Danes.
Siera Sheehan (3-7 overall) got the start for the Hawks. The rookie hurler threw for six innings, giving up six runs ? two earned ? on six hits, recording four strikeouts.
In the second game, Hartford (11-11, 4-1 AE) battled back from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Albany (19-9, 2-2 AE). Hartford ace Brittney Stratton threw for seven complete innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits while striking out eight in the Hawks' 6-2 defeat of the Great Danes. With the win, the junior improves her overall record to 8-4.
Second baseman Jackie Simonetty led the Hawks at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and scoring a pair of runs. Junior Sara Messinger also recorded a multi-hit game for the Hawks, finishing 2-for-4 with her first homer of the season while recording two runs and two RBI.
The Great Danes broke the game open early, scoring the first run of the game in the first inning. After striking out Walraven, Stratton hit Albany sophomore Kristine Bill by a pitch. With two outs, a triple by Meagan Butsch scored Bill to give Albany an early 1-0 advantage over the Hawks. Albany put another run on the scoreboard in the second inning. Jessica Bergin singled to start the inning. An error by Hartford right fielder Amanda Sais allowed Bergin to advance to third, and eventually reach home on a single by Kat Smith to push the Albany lead to 2-0.
The Hawks capitalized on three hits to score two runs in the top of the third inning. Simonetty opened the inning with a single to left field. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by red-shirt freshman Shannon Simpkins, and then took third on a passed ball. Messinger tallied her first hit of the game with an RBI single, plating Simonetty and putting the Hawks on the scoreboard. With two out after a fly-out to left field by Sais, junior Ann Kyzer drew a walk off Albany pitcher Marissa Powell, advancing Messinger to second. The Hawks scored their final run of the frame off an RBI single to left field by shortstop Rachel Clonick plating Messinger, the tying run of the game.
The fifth inning belonged to Hartford as the Hawks plated three more runs, taking advantage of two costly Albany errors. Simonetty once again opened the top of the frame with a single down the left field line. An error by the Albany second baseman allowed Simpkins to reach base, advancing Simonetty to second. Another Albany error with just one out loaded the bases for the Hawks, allowing a single by Kyzer to drive in two runs to give Hartford its first lead of the game. A fielder's choice had Kyzer out at second but Clonick and Sais on the corners, allowing Sais to score from third on a single by senior Kristen Cericola to give the Hawks a 5-2 advantage.
Messinger's leadoff home run in the top of the seventh boosted the Hartford lead to 6-2, the eventual final.
For the Great Danes, Powell pitched seven innings, giving up six runs (three earned) on eight hits. The junior struck out six and finished with one walk. Kat Smith led Albany at the plate, batting 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The rubber match of Hartford's three-game series with Albany originally scheduled for Monday, April 6 has been cancelled. The Hawks will next be in action on Wednesday, April 8 when they travel to Stony Brook University for a pair of games with the Seawolves. The first pitch of the opening game is slated for 2:00 p.m.
