Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford softball team got back on the winning track on Saturday as it scored a 5-3 defeat of America East foe Stony Brook in Game One of two on Saturday afternoon at the University of Hartford Softball Field. Hartford dropped a close outing in the nightcap, falling 2-1 to the visiting Seawolves.
With the split, Hartford pushes its overall record to 4-26 with a mark of 1-7 in league play. Stony Brook enters Sunday's series finale with at 13-20 and 3-8 in the America East.
Jordan Haines' long ball with two down in the bottom of the second pushed the momentum in Hartford's favor in the opening game victory, which snapped a 15-game skid for the Hawks and was their first win in conference play this season. The sophomore catcher recorded RBI numbers six and seven with her second home run of the season, a screamer over the left center field wall, and plated Melani Maxwell who walked in the previous at-bat.
The Hawks added to their two-run lead in the following stanza as junior Shannon Simpkins crossed the plate to push the home team's advantage to 3-0. Simpkins led off with a single and advanced one extra base on a throwing error by the Seawolves' first baseman. Senior Lauren Kamena, the next batter in the line-up, lined a double to right center to score the speedy centerfielder and extend Hartford's lead.
Hartford extended its lead to 5-0 with a two-run fourth inning before Stony Brook put together a rally in the top of the seventh using four hits to add three runs to the scoreboard. After leading off the stanza with a single, sophomore Gina Bianculli was driven home by Suzanne Karath's one-out triple to left center field. In the next at-bat, Karath advanced home on an infield ground out for the visitor's second run on the afternoon.
With two down, the Seawolves dented the scoreboard one last time as a double off the bat of Bernadette Tenuto scored Lauren Maloney who reached base on an outfield single. Hartford hurler Kaitlyn Meade, who returned to the circle after throwing for the opening four and two-thirds innings, forced Stony Brook into a ground out and got the Hawks out of the jam for the win.
Meade did not allow a single run through five innings while Nicole Springer, who worked for two innings, gave up three earned runs on four hits.
Despite suffering the loss in Game Two, junior Siera Sheehan had a strong performance inside of the circle allowing a pair of earned runs while striking out five in 7.0 innings. Her counterpart, Taylor Chain, scattered four hits and fanned seven batters for the Seawolves.
The Hawks and Seawolves exchanged zeroes through three and a half before Hartford broke open the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fourth frame. After firing a lead-off triple, her third of the season, into the right field corner, sophomore Kate Wacyk scored on an infield groundout by classmate Springer.
Stony Brook was quick to respond as it earned the run back and added one more to take its first lead of the afternoon at 2-1. Karath led off with a triple to left center and after Hawley went down swinging, went on to score on another triple, this time by Maloney. A fly ball to center field by Tenuto was not deep enough to bring Maloney home from third however the first baseman reached home for the go-ahead run in the next at-bat, a double by the Seawolves' pitcher.
Hartford saw a golden opportunity in the bottom of the sixth to put a tally on the scoreboard. Kamena led off with a single, moved up one more base on a sacrifice bunt and reached third on a wild pitch however Springer and Chelsey Mooney were unable to advance her across home plate and the Hawks stranded their fourth base runner of the contest.
The Hawks and Seawolves will play the rubber game and series finale on Sunday, April 17 with a 12 noon start time.
