BOX SCORE - COLGATE
CLEARWATER, Fla. – In the second day of the USF Spring Break Tournament, the University of Hartford softball team dropped a pair of games. The Hawks fell in the opening game to Dartmouth by an 11-7 final and went on to drop a five-inning, 8-0 decision to Colgate in game two.
Devynne Butler, Erica Phelps and Shannon Simpkins each finished with two hits, however the Hawks' comeback bid fell short on Saturday morning against New England rival Dartmouth.
After exchanging runs in the first inning, Dartmouth exploded for a seven-run, second inning to push ahead, 8-1.
The Hawks, however, countered in their next at-bats and pounded the scoreboard with six runs of their own, to make it a one run game at 8-7. Rookie Peyton Fisher knocked in Hartford's first run of the frame, and Melani Maxwell followed suit with a base hit that placed a pair of Hawks. With the bases loaded up, the Hawks plated two more runs to come within a single point of the Big Green.
In the bottom of the fourth, Dartmouth started to pull away from the Hawks when it scratched one run across the plate to double its advantage to two at 8-6 and went on to seal the game with a pair of scores in the bottom of the sixth inning.
In the final game of the afternoon, Colgate's Courtney O'Connell allowed just a pair of Hartford hits to lead the Raiders and earn the shutout victory. Hartford, which saw just three base runners on the afternoon, were led at the plate by Fisher and senior Shannon Simpkins
After three scoreless frames, the Raiders exploded for eight runs in the top of the fourth, to grab the 8-0 win in five innings in game two.
Tera Vaughn, who led off the inning with a groundball single, advanced to second on a throwing error. Jennifer Ortega followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners and Stephanie Hartquist would bring home both runners home on a fielder's choice to put Colgate ahead, 2-0.
With one out, Colgate loaded up the bases, allowing the Raiders' third run to cross the plate when Eileen Ornousky was hit by a Kaitlyn Meade pitch. With the bases still loaded, Alana Dyson reached on a fielder's choice and Haley Fleming notched a single to provide the Raiders with a 5-0 advantage with the bases still loaded. This set the scene for Vaughn, who launched a bases-clearing double to give Colgate the 8-0 lead.
The Hawks conclude play at the USF Spring Break Tournament on Sunday when they take on Colgate for a rematch at 11:15 a.m.
