THE BASICS:
 
RESULTS:   Game One – Hartford 9, St. Bonaventure 8
                      Game Two – Charleston Southern 6, Hartford 5

RECORDS:     Hartford (2-2)
                        St. Bonaventure (0-4)
                        Charleston Southern (10-3)

LOCATION:CSU Softball Complex (Charleston, S.C.)
 
THE LEAD:
 
The University of Hartford softball team split a pair of games on Saturday, defeating St. Bonaventure by a 9-8 final in its opening game before coming one run shy of knocking off Charleston Southern in a 6-5 decision.

Sophomore Amber Mianti scored four runs and knocked in five, while senior pitcher Bianca Ross tossed two scoreless innings to lead the Hawks to a come-from-behind, victory in the opening game. Mianti, whose walk-off hit in the eighth propelled Hartford to the win, finished the afternoon with six runs.
 
GAME ONE:

• Falling behind early by a 3-0 count in the top of the second, one swing of the bat by Mianti knotted up the game in bottom part of the frame.
• The game remained tied until a Madison Milimire double coupled with a throwing error by St. Bonaventure's left fielder allowed Jillian Fenton to cross home and give the Hawks a 4-3 edge in the bottom of the fourth.
• Hartford's lead continued to grow, as the Hawks tacked on one more run in the fourth before a Lily Sencer triple drove in two more to make it a 7-3 advantage heading into the fifth.
• The Bonnies clawed back into the game, though, plating two runs in the fifth before taking an 8-7 lead behind a three-run inning in the sixth.
• Taking over inside the circle, Ross put down the Bonnies in order in the top of the seventh before Kylie Dazalla, who blasted a one-out double to center field in the bottom part of the frame, tied up the game on a two-bagger off the bat of Eliza Bomhardt.
• Despite St. Bonaventure having the go-ahead run on 60-feet away on a fielding error with one out, Ross and the Hawks got out of the jam in the top of the eighth to preserve the tie.
• With Alex Saharek on second to start the bottom of the eighth, pinch runner Kiana Harris took third on a Hilimire base hit crossing home on Mianti's walk-off base hit through the middle of the infield.

 
 
GAME TWO:

• The Hawks showed grit in game two. Falling behind, 5-0, to Charleston Southern through five innings, Hartford mounted a furious comeback in the top of the sixth inning to tie up the game.
• A lead-off walk dealt to Mianti got the offense going for Hartford. Behind together three-straight singles from Sencer, Barranger and Dazalla, Mianti put Hartford's first run on the board.
• A sacrifice fly off the bat of Saharek pulled the Hawks within three runs, before a one-out double down the left field line by Johnson made it a two-run game with one out and runners on second and third.
• The Hawks continued to rally, plating another run on a sacrifice fly before tying up the game at 5-5 on an outfield single by Elizabeth Newkirk.
• But the Buccaneers were quick to respond, as Jade Gandara knocked in the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run on a bases-loaded, sacrifice fly. The Hawks managed to get one runner on base in their final at-bats with two outs, but Charleston Southern's Alyssa Heinrich closed the door on the threat to seal the win for the Buccaneers.

 
NEXT ON TAP:
The Hawks conclude their opening-weekend trip with a 1 p.m. tilt against Charleston Southern on Sunday.