Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford softball team scored a doubleheader sweep of the Rhode Island Rams on Thursday, improving to 4-11 on the season with 3-1 and 10-4 victories in its 2014 home debut. The Hawks outhit URI, 13-5, as the Rams drop to 4-15 on the season.

Junior Jackie Kelly and sophomore Sawyer Fried had hot bats in their first two games in West Hartford. Kelly combined to bat .571 on the afternoon, going 3-of-3 in the first game before giving Hartford a first-inning lead in game two on her first home run of the season. Blasting the first homer of her career on a solo shot in the opening game, Fried went long again in the night cap, improving on the lead Kelly provided. 

Sophomore Amber Andrews also went 3-of-7 from the plate as the Hawks combined for seven extra-base hits on the day.

In the opening game, timely hitting coupled a strong outing from senior pitcher Zuzana Kudernatschova led Hartford to the 3-1 win over the Rams. Nine hits were spread out among six different batters as the Hawks never trailed in the contest.

One quick swing of the bat was all it took to put the home team out in front by a 1-0 count as Fried lifted her first career home run over the left field wall the Hawks with the edge in the opening frame. URI would post a late threat in the next inning, but Taylor Archer's two-out double wouldn't amount to anything as Kudernatschova induced Jocelyn Mattison into a pop-up to strand the base runner.

In the top half of the fourth, though, the visiting squad managed to get a run up on the scoreboard with Stacey Fox tying up the contest at 1-1. After doubling to second and taking third on a Jenna Cubello sacrifice bunt, the shortstop crossed home on a fielder's choice that resulted in a dropped ball on the play at home plate.

Hartford was able to squeeze out two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, despite leaving the bases loaded in the inning before. Inheriting the three Hawk base runners in the fourth with one out, Sam Bedore got URI out of the jam, but she was unable to stop Hartford's hot bats in the home half of the fifth.

Three-straight hits led to the go-ahead runs for the Hawks in a rally that was sparked by freshman Mackenzie Obert's second single of the game. The right fielder wouldn't have to wait long to cross home for the eventual game-winning run as a three-bag blast off the bat of Andrews put Hartford back in front for good. The Hawks pushed one more run across home plate in the next at-bat thanks to Andrews' speed on the bags. On a suicide squeeze laid down by junior Jenice Aloyo, the second baseman gave Hartford its largest lead of the game, beating out any potential play at the plate to push the advantage to 3-1.

Down the stretch, Kudernatschova and the defense held URI to just one hit and a walk, keeping the Rams without a scoring threat. Kudernatschova finished with four strikeouts, earning her first win of the season to improve to 1-4.

In the nightcap, URI grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but Hartford quickly countered, scoring three runs in the home half of the inning. Leading off the inning with a base hit, Andrews, who moved to third on a sac bunt and a Sawyer Fried single, scored on a Chelsey Mooney sacrifice fly. That set the scene for Kelly's hot bat. Going 3-of-3 in the previous game, Kelly kept her rally going by rifling a two-run shot to put the Hawks in front by a run before the end of the frame.

From there, the Hawks cruised along, adding two more runs to their count in the third on a two-run shot by Fried before plating three more runs in the bottom of the fourth on a Rams' outfield error. URI managed to bring its 8-2 deficit down to four after scratching a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. With runners on second and third, that margin could have been much closer, but a diving catch in shallow left field by Obert also nabbed the Rams' lead-off runner to prevent any more runs from reaching the scoreboard.

Hartford went on to put the game out of reach thanks to a two-out, two RBI single off the barrel of Andrews. Earning her second career win in the circle was freshman Lexi Wilkerson, who struck out two in five innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Junior Kaitlyn Meade tossed the final two innings, also recording a pair of strikeouts in the appearance.

The 11-game homestand continues for Hartford, which opens up America East action this weekend against the Maine Black Bears. The action begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.