GAME #1 BOX SCORE
GAME #2 BOX SCORE
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The University of Hartford softball team scored a pair of victories with wins against Lafayette and Manhattan at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. on Friday morning. The Hawks improve to 6-3 on the season.
A two-out, walk-off single laced down the right field line by senior Sara Messinger propelled the Hawks to a 5-4 win against Lafayette in Friday's first game. Brittney Stratton earned the win inside the circle, improving to 4-1 on the season.
Lafayette struck blood first in the early morning match-up as Kacey Karr, the lead-off batter, knocked the ball out of the park to put the Leopards on the board at 1-0.
The Hawks managed to get three runners on base in bottom of the frame with none out however Christine Hilcken pitched out of the jam and retired the Hartford line-up.
Hartford lit up the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, sparked by Messinger's lead-off double. Erica Phelps worked a walk off of Hilcken, and following double-steal, Messinger advanced 60 more feet to home plate on a throwing error by the Leopards' catcher. A single off the bat of rookie Jessica Oliveira plated Phelps to give the Hawks their first advantage.
After trading a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, the Leopard squeezed out two more runs in the top of the seventh to regain the lead at 4-3. Facing the deficit in their last at-bats, Olivia Piacentini and Rachel Clonick notched back-to-back singles to lead off the frame. Following a Lafayette pitching change, Kate Wacyk's perfectly landed sacrifice bunt advanced the runners and loaded up the base paths, setting the scene for Messinger's bases clearing, walk-off single down the right field line.
Stratton went the distance for the Hawks, scattering six hits with four strikeouts. The senior allowed four runs and issued a pair of walks. Messinger knocked in a pair of runs on a 2-for-4 performance at the plate to lead Hartford. Four Hawks launched multi-hit games with Oliveira, Piacentini, Clonick and Messinger each delivering a pair of hits. Messinger added two RBIs.
A pair of homers by freshmen Wacyk and Nicole Springer powered Hartford to a 6-3 defeat of Manhattan in the second game.
Hartford jumped out to an early 1-0 lead however the Jaspers dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame with three runs.
The Hawks answered in the second inning as they rallied for five runs. With one down, freshman Jordan Haines belted a solo home run. Back-to-back walks followed by an Oliveira single juiced up the bases before Springer muscled out her first career grand-slam, allowing Hartford to regain the lead at 6-3, the eventual final.
Manhattan managed to put together a rally in the top of the sixth as it loaded the bases with one out. However pinch hitter Melissa Cascio bounced back for an inning-ending double play to end the Jaspars' threat.
Springer finished 2-for-4 with five of Hartford's six RBIs. Oliveira also went 2-for-4 and scored one run. Sheehan threw her second complete game of 2010, allowing three earned runs on nine hits.
Hartford wraps up the Rebel Spring Games with a twinbill on Saturday, March 20. The Hawks will face Colgate at 9:00 a.m. followed by an 11:00 a.m. match-up with Rider.
