Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford softball team dropped a doubleheader at home to the University of Rhode Island Rams in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon. Rhode Island blanked Hartford, 3-0, in the opening game before defeating the Hawks in a 10-6 final in the nightcap.
Erika Szymanski constructed a four hit shutout over seven innings in the opening game to lead Rhode Island (13-21 overall) in game one. The rookie hurler struck out one en route to her second win this season.
Amanda Dilworth connected for a pair of hits while Jessica Oliveira and Rachel Clonick each made contact once to lead the Hawks. Sophomore Siera Sheehan took the loss inside the circle, finishing with six strikeouts and allowing three earned runs in seven innings.
The Rams scratched a single run across the scoreboard in the top of the second frame with Melissa Wilson's lead off solo shot. Rhode Island used a two-run homer by sophomore Nicole Massoni to build a 3-0 lead, which proved to be all the run support Szymanski needed to earn the win.
Rhode Island lit up the scoreboard early in the nightcap. Outfielder Jackie Kampmeier earned a walk off rookie Nicole Springer to open the game. A base-hit to left field by Brittany Julich turned into extra bases after a fielding error, allowing runners to advance to second and third. A single off the bat of Szymanski plated Kampmeier from third and was hit deep enough to score the speedy Julich from second to help the Rams jump out to a 2-0 advantage.
Szymanski's RBI double in the third boosted Rhode Island's lead to 3-0 before the Rams rallied for a four-run, fourth inning sparked by four hits coupled with a costly Hawks' error.
Following a solo shot by rookie infielder Kelly Coker in the top half of the fifth, the Hawks managed to plate its first run of the afternoon, snapping a scoreless drought that spanned four games and 24 innings. With Shannon Simpkins on first, Dilworth's double to left center was followed by an extra-base hit by Oliveira to centerfield to plate Simpkins.
Rhode Island answered with a pair of runs in the sixth using a screamer sent into the centerfield nets off the bat of Wilson, her second of the twinbill, to take a 10-1 lead, however Hartford refused to go down without a fight and responded with five runs in the bottom half of the frame.
With a pair of runners in scoring position, Erica Phelps knocked in the lead runner with a single to first base. Following a fielder's choice that loaded up the base paths, Dilworth's single down the middle of the infield plated Clonick, the lead runner for Hartford's second run of the inning. Oliveira accounted for the final three scores of the frame when she launched her first career triple deep into right centerfield.
Oliveira led the Hawks in game two finishing 3-for-4 with a game-best four RBI. Springer suffered the loss for the Hawks, allowing 10 runs – five earned – on 16 hits.
For the Rams, Coker, Massoni, Prendergastt and Szymanski each finished with three hits.
Alison Hartzell earned the win with a three inning shutout. The sophomore scattered just three hits and fanned five batters. Jayshree Narendran threw the final four innings of the contest, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and recording four strikeouts.
The Hawks resume conference play with a three-game series at Binghamton. The first pitch of the series will be thrown on Saturday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m.
