GAME #1 BOX SCORE
GAME #2 BOX SCORE
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Seniors Rachel Clonick and Olivia Piacentini powered a pair of two-run homers in the top of the eighth inning allowing the University of Hartford softball team to squeeze by Colgate in a 7-4 extra-innings affair in the Hawks' opening game of the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. Hartford fell to Lafayette 8-5 in Tuesday's second game.
With the split, Hartford now stands at 3-2 overall.
Senior Brittney Stratton, the reigning America East Pitcher of the Week, got the win in game one against Colgate, improving to 3-0 on the young season. The hurler scattered five hits over eight innings and fanned a season-best nine batters while only allowing one walk. Sophomore Erica Phelps finished 2-for-3 and drew a walk to lead the Hawks at the plate.
Hartford grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the second, cashing in on a Colgate error to take the advantage. The lead did not last long however as the Raiders answered with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the fifth, knotting the contest at 1-1.
The Hawks answered in the top of the next inning as they added another notch on the scoreboard. Nicole Springer made contact for a single, notching the fifth hit of her career in as many games. Pinch runner Lauren Kamena advanced two bases on a screamer off the bat of Ann Kyzer that went through the shortstop's legs and continued to roll towards the left field fence. Senior Rachel Clonick brought Kamena home with a sacrifice fly. Rookie Jordan Haines' double plated Kyzer for the second and final run of the frame.
The Knights refused to go down without a fight however as they led off with back-to-back singles in the bottom of the stanza. A bases-clearing double brought Colgate back in the game at 3-3.
Hartford and Colgate traded zeros in the seventh inning. The bottom of the frame didn't come easy for the Hawks as Stratton got into a jam, allowing the Knights to juice the bases with two down. The veteran pitcher turned up the heat and got out of the inning without allowing the Knights an opportunity to plate the game-winning run.
With the international tie-breaker rule in effect, Hartford started the eighth with Kyzer on second base. Instead of planting a bunt to advance Kyzer 60 feet, Clonick stepped to the plate and launched her first homer of 2010 to give the Hawks a 5-3 advantage. Hartford doubled its lead with two down when Piacentini pinch-hit with classmate Phelps on first. The veteran swung away at just the second pitch she faced and fired a bomb over right field fence, denting the scoreboard for two more runs and giving Hartford the 7-4 advantage.
Stratton retired two-straight batters in the bottom of the eighth and after allowing her lone walk of the game, she put down the final batter to earn her 49th career win.
In the second game of the afternoon, Amanda Dilworth, Oliveira, Clonick and Jessica Oliveira registered two hits apiece; however the Hawks fell short against Lafayette. Kyzer finished with a team-best two RBI in the 8-5 loss.
The Leopards struck first with a single run in the top of the third and dented the scoreboard with a five-run fourth inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead over the Hawks.
After allowing another single run in the fifth inning, Hartford scatched three runs across the scoreboard to cut into the Leopards' lead. Back-to-back singles by Dilworth and Oliveira were followed by an infield error, allowing two-straight singles by Kyzer and Clonick to plate three runs in the frame.
Lafayette responded in the top of the sixth with a single run, increasing its lead to 8-3. The Hawks managed two more runs in the bottom of the frame but could not get the bats going in their final at-bats.
Sophomore Siera Sheehan took the loss after pitching the first 4.0 innings, giving up eight hits and allowing six runs. Freshman Nicole Springer reversed her role as a power-hitter and made her first collegiate appearance inside the circle. In three innings of relief, the reigning conference rookie of the week gave up two runs.
Hartford continues action at the Rebel Spring Games with a pair of games on Wednesday, March 17. The Hawks are scheduled to face Saint Peter's at 9:00 a.m. followed by a 1:00 p.m. match-up with Cleveland State.
