WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford softball team went 2-0 in the Nor'Eastern Classic on Sunday, defeating Siena, 7-5, before taking down Manhattan, 5-4, on the Hartford Softball Field. Freshman
Paige Fedak combined for three runs and three RBI to lead the Hawks to the two-game sweep.
GAME ONE: HARTFORD 7, SIENA 5
A two-out double by rookie
Haley Cassidy to the gap between centerfield and right brought in classmate
Paige Fedak, who reached on an error and stole second, for Hartford's first run in the bottom of the first. But after three scoreless frames, Siena came back to tie up the game on a fielding error with two outs that plated Vargas Sabihon, who led off the frame with a base hit.
A big fifth inning featuring six runs on four hits and a pair of Siena errors allowed Hartford to break the game open and jump out to a 7-1 lead. After junior
Madison Hilimire walked and sophomore
Nicolette Barranger singled to lead off the frame, sophomore
Danielle Rocheleau and Fedak ignited the rally with on back-to-back RBI singles. Getting one run back in the top of the sixth, the Saints would mount a comeback bid in their final at-bats, as Madysen Cossack blasted a three-run home run with two outs, but rookie
Julianna Kocenski, who earned the start for Hartford, induced a ground out to preserve the win.
HARTFORD 5, MANHATTAN 4
After Manhattan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in its first at-bats, freshman
Emma Curry evened the score in the bottom of the second with her first career home run, a two-run shot to left field. The Jaspers would regain the lead on a two-run homer by Chiorazzi, but the Hawks responded with three runs in the bottom of the third to go up, 5-4. Following back-to-back singles from Barranger and Rocheleau, Fedak kept the bats going and tied up the game on a bases clearing double to right center before
Kylie Dazalla brought in the go-ahead run after reaching on a fielder's choice.
Senior
Melissa Pereira, who earned the start in game two, clamped down to keep Manhattan off the scoreboard through the next three frames. The Jaspers threatened to strike in their final at-bats, putting runners on first and second on a single and a walk, but in relief, Kocenski put down the next three Manhattan players she faced in order to preserve the win for Hartford.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
- Five different Hawks collected an RBI to lead the team in the win against Siena
- Fedak finished with two runs and an RBI to pace the Hawks in the Siena win
- Kocenski, who went the distance for the Hawks against the Saints, struck out six batters to improve to 4-5 on the season
- Kocenski went on to earn the save against the Jaspers after retiring the final three batters of the game
- Pereira (2-3), who settled in to hold Manhattan off the scoreboard for three straight innings, earned the victory in game two after allowing four earned runs on eight hits and four walks
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford's homestand continues with a pair of midweek doubleheaders against Saint Peter's on Tuesday (2 p.m.) and Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday (2:30 p.m.).
