WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford Softball team swept it series opening doubleheader this afternoon against Maine. The Hawks took game one, 7-4, before winning game two, 7-6. Hartford jumps to 15-30 overall and 4-13 in conference play, while Maine falls to 8-34 overall and 4-11 against conference opponents.
HARTFORD 7, MAINE 4
Maine wasted no time getting off to a hot start in game one, putting two runs up on the board in the opening frame. Hartford responded swiftly in the bottom half of the first to tie the game at two.
Haley Cassidy opened up the inning with a double to right center which was then followed by
Olivia Wolk launching a two-run homerun over the left field fence, bringing the score to 2-2 heading into the second.
Ally Beck gave the Hawks the lead in the third, blasting a three-run shot out to left, driving home
Kelsey Galevich and
Emma Curry. Over the final three innings Hartford and Maine went back and forth in scoring. The Black Bears closed the gap to two runs in the fourth before the Hawks would extend their lead in the fifth after Galevich laced an RBI single to second base, bringing home Curry from third. Hartford would tack on one more run to their lead in the sixth after
Samantha Nagel reached base on an error which brought home Wolk all the way from first. The Hawks walked away victorious in game one, 7-4.
HARTFORD 7, MAINE 6
In game two, the Black Bears got off to another fast start in the opening frame, putting two runs up on the board. Hartford was able to respond once again in the bottom half to tie the game up.
Jordan Nastos got the inning started for the Hawks with a double into right field followed by
Mara Sczecienski launching a two-run shot over the right field wall. With the game tied at two a piece, Hartford would take the lead in the second after
Haley Cassidy lifted a three-run homerun out to left field, giving the Hawks a 5-2 lead heading into the third. In the top of the fifth, Maine would close the gap to two before Hartford would tack on one more run to their lead in the bottom half.
Milena Wilton lifted a sacrifice fly out to center which brought home Curry from third. However, the Black Bears found a way to rally in the sixth, tying the game up at 6-6 heading in to the final frame. The Hawks starter,
Caylee English escaped a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh to keep the score tied for a chance to walk it off in the bottom half. After back-to-back singles from Curry and Galevich, Beck stepped up to the plate and lifted a single into shallow right field to drive home the game winning run, as Hartford took game two, 7-6.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Julianna Kocenski (8-14) got the start in game one
- She earned the win after allowing four runs on six hits while tallying three strikeouts over 7.0 full innings of work
- Beck, Cassidy and Wolk each launched their fourth homeruns on the season
- English (7-9) received the start in game two
- She took home the win after allowing six runs, just two of them earned on five hits and four walks while tallying four strikeouts over 7.0 innings of work
- Sczecienski blasted her team leading fifth round tripper on the year in game two
- Curry led the Hawks at the plate, going 7-for-8 with one double and two triples
NEXT ON TAP
The Hawks are back in action for the final game of the regular season and series finale against Maine. First pitch from the Hartford Softball Field is set for 1 p.m.
