FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - Hartford Softball opened up its season on the road versus Framingham State University and picked up two hard-fought wins in nonconference play.
 

Rapid Recap Game 1 (W 4-1)

• The Hawks jumped on the board early, courtesy of a two-run home run by sophomore Alyssa Edwards (Stoughton, Mass.) in her first collegiate at bat in the second inning. The Hawks would threaten to score again in the inning, but Rams starter Audrey Gauthier was able to wiggle out of the jam.
• Framingham State would respond in the bottom of the third, mounting back-to-back knocks to score their first run of the game, cutting the deficit in half and making the score 2-1. 
• Hartford continued to add to their lead in the fourth with sophomore Holly Myers (Erving, Mass.) coming off the bench to plate senior Gia Miccio (Bellmore, N.Y.), running the score up to 3-1. The Hawks were not done scoring there as in the top of the sixth, Miccio sent a line drive into the outfield, scoring junior Sydney Matz (Ellington, Conn.) from third to make the score 4-1. Hartford pitching would lock it down in the circle and keep the Rams from scoring again, picking up the victory by the score of 4-1.

In the Circle:

• Junior Gracie Hopkins (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) got the start for the Hawks and dominated, going 4.2 innings while allowing only one run. Hopkins also had the put-away pitch working, picking up five strikeouts while only surrendering one walk.
• Sophomore Ella Zobel (Clarence, N.Y.) came in in relief of Hopkins and closed out the match up, pitching 2.1 innings, picking up three strikeouts and the save along the way. 

At The Plate:

• Edwards led the charge offensively, going 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs, and a walk. Miccio, Myers, sophomore Eryn Coyle (Monroe, N.Y.), and sophomore Katrina Baran (Townsend, Del.) all also picked up a hit for the Hawks.
   

Post Game Press:

• "Being back is such a surreal feeling, and to spark the offense in the first inning like that felt incredibly rewarding to me" said the sophomore Edwards. "I am so proud of each and every one of my teammates, and now we just have to keep the momentum going as we head to Florida!"
  
   

Rapid Recap Game 2 (W 5-4)

• The Hawks came into game two firing, putting up two runs in the first inning without recording a single hit. Baran led off the game, followed by junior Hailey Pruett (Nottingham, N.H.) reaching via an error. Edwards would plate Baran by too reaching on an error to make the score 1-0. Pruett came across as the second run of the inning as a result of a sacrifice fly from senior Lauren Ackerman (North Branford, Conn.). In the bottom half of the first, the Rams answered back with a run of their own on a single from Ava Gray, to make the score 2-1.
• Despite heavy traffic in the coming innings, neither team would score until the fourth where after a single by Matz, freshman Gillian Ulrich (West Nyack, N.Y.) would send a shot into left center for a double in her first collegiate at bat, scoring Matz. Framingham State would respond in the bottom of the fifth, with a lead off triple by Isabella MacDonald who would come around to score, making it 3-2 in favor of the Hawks.
• In the top of the sixth and the top of the seventh, Hartford would grab some insurance runs, driving in two more. In the sixth, in a similar fashion to game one, Myers hopped off the bench in another pinch-hit situation, picking up a single and driving in Miccio. In the seventh, another pinch-hit at bat would drive in a run as freshman Alina Weaver (Nazareth, Pa.) sent a single into right field, scoring Edwards and making the score 5-2.
• In the bottom of the seventh, the Rams would threaten, loading the bases with nobody out down just three. Senior pitcher Carly Mayhood (Newton, N.J.) would battle back, striking out back to back batters, leaving Framingham State down to their last out. After a wild pitch that would reach the backstop, Macdonald scurried home to make the score 5-3. Kate Brodzinski was next for the Rams and would send a screaming single to the shortstop Pruett, who made a diving snag to keep the ball in the infield and only allow one run to cross. Mayhood bared down to get the next batter on a soft flare to second base, closing out the win by the score of 5-4.

In the Circle:

• Zobel came back out for game two to start for the Hawks, posting a final line score of 2.0 IP, one run, two hits and three strikeouts. 
• Mayhood came in for relief, tossing five innings, allowing just one earned run, five hits, and three walks. The senior captain also picked up eight strikeouts over the course of her five innings of work.

At The Plate:

• At the dish, Matz led the way, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Edwards and Ackerman also put together great days at the plate, going 2-for-4 and 2-for-2, respectively, while also both picking up an RBI.

Post Game Press:

• "As a senior captain, a lot of it came down to trusting the work I have put in throughout our practices" said Mayhood. "In the moment, I trusted my catcher behind the play, and trusted the pitch calls from Coach Julie." Mayhood finished by adding, "I believed I was as prepared as I could be, and that confidence helped me stay composed and finish it out for the team."

Up Next:

• Next time out, the Hawks will face Nebraska Wesleyan University in Melbourne, Florida on Friday, March 13th for the Space Coast Spring games. Hartford's home opener is slated for March 22nd, as they host a double header against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 1:00 PM.

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