KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The University of Hartford softball team split a pair of games in the second day of the Rebel Spring Games. The Hawks scored a 3-1 win over St. Peter's in the morning game and dropped a 4-3 decision to Cleveland State in the final game. Freshman Nicole Springer combined for five hits in seven at-bats to lead the Hawks in both games while Brittney Stratton once again topped another program record, becoming Hartford's all-time leader in career strikeouts.
With the split, Hartford stands at 4-3 overall.
Timely hitting coupled with a solid performance in the circle by sophomore Siera Sheehan led the Hawks to their fourth win of the 2010 season on Wednesday morning against St. Peter's.
Sheehan's first win came in impressive fashion as she went the distance on a five-hitter and fanned a season-best six batters.
Hartford got on the scoreboard first when freshman Kate Wacyk ripped an RBI double in the top of the second inning scoring classmate Jordan Haines.
Hartford scratched a pair of runs across the scoreboard in the top of the third to take a 3-0 advantage over the St. Peter's. Springer, another member of the rookie class, doubled the Hawks' lead in the top of the third, driving in a single run on a double. The Hawks cashed in on a Peahens' error to plate its final run of the game.
The three runs would be all the run support needed by Sheehan as the hurler allowed the Peahens to plate one run in the bottom of the sixth. With two down, St. Peter's managed back-to-back singles allowing another single by Jillian Magee to score Amanda Rice from second. Sheehan would then induce Shelby Beaver, the Peahens' second baseman, into a ground out to end the frame with minimal damage.
Springer went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead the Hawks at the plate. She also knocked-in one RBI.
In the second game of the afternoon against Cleveland State, Stratton suffered her first loss of the season despite a strong outing inside the circle. Hartford could not capitalize on its scoring opportunities as 11 runners were left stranded on the base paths. Stratton finished with seven strikeouts however Cleveland State cashed in three runs on a pair of costly Hartford errors and an illegal pitch.
The squads traded runs in the opening inning before the Vikings put another single run across the scoreboard in the top of the second and pushed across to more in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, a lead-off single by Rachel Clonick coupled with a pair of Cleveland State errors placed the short stop on the hot corner allowing an infield error on a ground ball by Sara Messinger with one down to plate her classmate. The Hawks managed another single run in the bottom of the fifth, but were unable to complete the comeback as they stranded a pair of runners on base in each the sixth and seventh frames.
Springer again led the Hawks' offense, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate, including a double and an RBI.
Stratton reached another milestone in her career in the scarlet and white as she bettered another record in the Hartford record book. In the tail end of Wednesday's doubleheader, the pitcher became the program's all-time leader in strikeouts, surpassing Danielle Simoneau's former record of 497. Stratton, who entered this season as the Hawks' all-time winningest pitcher, has fanned 507 batters and tops the Hawks with 91 appearances, 80 games started and 73 complete games.
The Hawks have an off-day tomorrow but will continue action in the Sunshine State with back-to-back match-ups on Friday, March 19. Hartford will battle Lafayette at 9:00 a.m. followed by Manhattan at 11:00 a.m.
