THE BASICS:

GAME 1 RESULT: Kent State 6, Hartford 2
GAME 2 RESULT: Florida A&M 7, Hartford 4
LOCATION: Clearwater, Fla.

THE LEAD:
The Hartford softball team was toppled in the second weekend of its Spring Break trip, falling 6-2 to Kent State and 7-4 for Florida A&M on Friday. Kylie Dazalla had four hits on the day for the Hawks in the pair of games.

GAME 1: KENT STATE 6, HARTFORD 2
Kent State scored six runs – one earned – in the bottom of the third to earn a 6-2 victory over the Hawks in the first game of the day. Jenice Aloyo and Dazalla each went 2-for-3 with a run scored in a losing effort, while Hunter Brancifort and Sydney Anderson had two-hit games in the win for KSU. Michele Duffy drove in two runs for the Golden Flashes.
 
Janel Hayes scattered five hits in a complete-game win for KSU, while Lexi Wilkerson was carded with the loss for the Hawks. Melissa Pereira pitched three shutout innings in relief for Hartford.

HOW THEY SCORED, GAME 1:
• Hartford struck first with Aloyo singling home Dazalla, who doubled to lead off the third, to take a 1-0 lead.
• Kent State answered with six runs on five hits and two errors in the bottom of the third.
• Pereira came into the circle and surrendered just one hit to keep the Hawks in the game.
• Aloyo manufactured the final run on a single, an error, a sacrifice and a wild pitch to finish off the scoring.

GAME 2: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 5, HARTFORD 0
Florida A&M scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to break open a 4-4 tie. Dazalla, Lexi Wilkerson and Elizabeth Newkirk each had two-hit games for the Hawks. Tahlia Snyder picked up the win for the Lady Rattlers, while Bianca Ross was carded with the loss.
 
HOW THEY SCORED, GAME 2:
• FAMU struck first with two runs in the top of the second on a throwing error and a Denise Anderson RBI double.
• Hartford came right back with two in the bottom, as Newkirk singled home Wilkerson and Alex Saharek plated Danielle DeMarco on a sacrifice fly.
• The Lady Rattlers regained the lead with a run on four hits in the top of the third.
• FAMU extended its advantage to 4-2 in the fifth, when Jessica Nathan scored on a double and an error.
• The Hawks tied the score once again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, with Sawyer Fried singling home Dani Regina and Dazalla with two outs in the frame.
• FAMU plated three runs on three hits and two errors in the top of the sixth to close the scoring.

UP NEXT:
Hartford continues play in Clearwater on Saturday, with games against Georgia Tech (11:45) and Chattanooga (2:15), before wrapping up its games in Florida with a contest against Marist on Sunday at 9 a.m.