BOX SCORE - GAME 1
BOX SCORE - GAME 2
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The University of Hartford softball team dropped a pair of games to neighboring Central Connecticut State University in its 2012 season debut on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks fell in a nailbiter in the opening game in a 5-4 final and went on to suffer a 13-7 setback in Sunday's final game.
Rookie Peyton Fisher combined for five hits in seven at-bats, including a double and a home run, and scored three runs for the Hawks while junior catcher Jordan Haines notched a pair of runs and knocked in four runs on the afternoon.
In their first game of the season, the Hawks carried a four-run advantage into the bottom of the seventh but Central Connecticut heated up in its final at-bats and rallied for five runs to steal the victory.
The Hawks finished with four hits the opening game led by Haines, sophomore Amber Andrews and Fisher.
After Blue Devils' hurler Messina retired 10 of the first 11 batters she faced, allowing just Melani Maxwell to reach base on a walk in the second frame, Haines stepped up to the plate with two down in the fourth and belted out a solo home run get Hartford on the scoreboard at 1-0.
In their next at-bats, the Hawks added a pair of runs to push their advantage to 3-0. With one out in the fifth, Jackie Kelly was hit by a pitch and advanced another 60 feet when Erica Phelps reached on an infield error. After Messina worked the second out of the inning, Andrews delivered for Hartford by smacking a two run double into left center field.
Hartford took advantage of its short game to cushion its lead in the top of the seventh. After Fisher led off the stanza with her first career hit – a double to left field – she moved to third on a sacrifice by Andrews. The freshman then crossed the plate for the first time in her career and made it a 4-0 game when Devynne Butler notched a bunt single.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, that four run advantage was not large enough as the Blue Devils used four hits to plate five runs and grab the victory. With runners on first and second, Ashley Black got the scoring going for Central Connecticut with an RBI double to left center.
Following a pitching change that saw Ana Alberti replace Siera Sheehan, the Blue Devils, who had runners on first and second with two down in the frame, made it a one-run game when Kat Malcolm connected for a base hit.
Central Connecticut completed the comeback in dramatic fashion as Nicole Springer belted out a two run, walk-off home run to end the opening game.
Siera Sheehan pitched six scoreless innings for the Hawks, allowing five hits during that span. She allowed three runs, all earned, and struck out a pair of batters. Alberti, who threw for two-thirds of an inning, gave up the final two runs of the game.
Five Hawks snagged hits in game two, led by Fisher's 4-for-4 performance, but Hartford could not find the answer for a flurry of Central Connecticut runs in the second inning and fell by an eventual final of 13-7. Fisher added a pair of runs and an RBI to that number. Haines and Butler also paced the Hawks at the plate as Haines knocked in three runs and Butler scored on three occasions.
Hartford grabbed one run in the opening inning as Kate Wacyk drove in Butler from third with two outs however Central Connecticut responded with four runs of its own, using three hits to plate the tallies.
In the next frame, the Hawks were quick to claw back and regain their edge as they added four more runs to the scoreboard to take the 5-4 advantage.
The Hawks started the scoring surge by loading up the bases. With no one out, Butler earned a walk off of Messina to bring in the first run of the frame. Following a pitching change, Haines, with one down in the frame, sent a base hit into left field allowing Andrews and Fisher to score from second and third. With the score now tied at four runs apiece, junior Wacyk brought in the go-ahead run as she reached base on a fielder's choice.
Central Connecticut would not allow Hartford to hold on to its lead for much longer though as it bombarded the scoreboard with nine runs to push ahead at 13-5.
The Hawks managed to scratch single runs across the plate in the third and sixth innings, but could not recover from the Blue Devils' monster inning.
Fisher provided Hartford with its sixth run of the outing with her first home run as a collegian and Haines knocked-in the Hawks' final tally of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Kaitlyn Meade earned the loss inside of the circle after allowing 10 runs, nine earned, in 1.1 innings of work. In her collegiate debut, Eve Clausen allowed three runs in the second inning but went on to throw five scoreless innings to close out the game. The rookie also fanned three batters in 4.2 innings.
Next up for the Hawks is a doubleheader at Rhode Island on Wednesday. Start time of game one is set for 2:30 p.m.
