Azusa, Calif. -- Clutch hitting from Nicoletta Cuccio and zeros from Jessica Vadala out of the bullpen helped the Adelphi University softball team open 2017 in dramatic fashion, as the Panthers secured a 6-5 win in nine innings en route to splitting a double-header with the Azusa Pacific Cougars on Monday afternoon.

Cuccio, who was 3-5 in the opener and 4-6 across the two games, drove in the game-tying and game-winning runs for Adelphi (1-1) in the first game of the double dip, as the Brown and Gold trailed 5-2 headed to the top of the sixth before scoring one in the frame and two in the seventh to tie things up.

Vadala pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in relief of Kristin Fealy with three strikeouts, as she entered the game with one on and one out in the sixth and later got the win in the circle after twice stranding the game-winning run. Krista King went 2-5 at the plate in the opener, scoring both runs on Cuccio's RBIs, while Brenna Martini went 1-2 with three walks. 

The Panthers dropped game two by an 8-0 decision, with Cuccio and Stephanie Staiano accounting for the two Panther hits in the contest, as the Cougars' (7-4) Kat Ung struck out six in five innings of work.

Game 1
Fealy and Carly Xepoleas matched zeros over the first four innings, as neither allowed a hit until Martini's one-out single in the top of the fourth. Fealy worked out of a two-out jam in the bottom of the frame, as an error and a single put two on, but induced the fielder's choice to Martini at third off the bat of Jenna Gorman to end the threat.

Adelphi broke through in the fifth, as Megan Lewis led off and a pair of Cougar errors led to Staiano and Lauren Sandelier reaching to load the bases with none out. From there, Emily Turney recorded her first collegiate RBI with a sacrifice fly that scored pinch-runner Christina Rizzi, while a third Cougar miscue later in the inning scored Staiano for the 2-0 lead. Nonetheless, Azusa Pacific hit back right away, after a pair of hit batters put two on with one down. After a fielder's choice put Fealy one out away from getting out of a jam, an error on the comebacker led to the first Cougar run, and an infield single again filled the bases. 

Senior Nikkie Sprague made Fealy pay from there, launching a pitch over the right field fence and turning the game in favor of the Cougars, 5-2, with all five runs in the inning being credited as unearned. 

In the top of the sixth, a one-out double from Cuccio put both herself and Nicole Camera in scoring position, and Lewis gave Adelphi one back with a sacrifice fly to cut the gap to 5-3, but Adelphi got no closer in the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Fealy departed after surrendering a one-out walk, and Vadala entered, sandwiching a pair of strikeouts around two singles to leave the bases loaded and keep the Cougars from extending the lead. 

Adelphi's rally begin with its backs to the wall in the seventh, as Danielle Cutuli walked with two down to keep the game going, ahead of a King infield single and a Martini walk to load the bases. A bases-loaded walk to Camera scored Adelphi's fourth run, and Cuccio delivered the game-tying hit to left to score King, but Martini was thrown out at the plate to preserve the 5-5 tie. After Vadala got the opening out of the bottom of the frame, Sprague was intentionally walked following her earlier heroics, before a single and a sac bunt put two runners in scoring position. However, Adelphi's sophomore hurler was up to the task, catching Erinn Jaramillo looking to send the game to extra innings.

Both teams stranded a runner in the eighth, with Adelphi getting a one-out infield hit from King in the ninth, followed by a walk to Martini to set the table. After Camera struck out, Cuccio delivered again, this time with a single up the middle to give Adelphi the lead, and Vadala had her easiest inning in the ninth, retiring the side in order to get the win.

Game 2
Lindsay Mapes surrendered a pair of runs in the opening inning as Sprague was in the middle of Azusa Pacific's offense again, driving in the first run with a one-out double, before scoring on a groundout to double the lead. The Cougars scattered 12 hits across five innings against Mapes, who dealt with at least two base runners in every inning.

Cuccio's hot hitting continued as she led off the second inning with a single with the game at 2-0, but she was caught stealing for the third out of the inning two batters later. While Mapes stranded a pair in the second and third innings, Azusa Pacific tacked on three more in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run triple by Illiana Jimenez to take a 5-0 lead. A one-out single for Staiano was Adelphi's second hit of the game in the fifth, but the home team tacked on three more in the bottom of the frame, walking off as Sprague drove in the game's final run on a single to left.

The Panthers are back in action tomorrow in Riverside, Calif., taking on the Lancers of California Baptist in a double-header beginning at 5 pm PST (8 pm EST).

NOTES
- Adelphi recorded its first-ever win against Azusa Pacific (1-4).

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About Adelphi Athletics:
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009 and in the past seven seasons, has collected 20 regular season conference titles, 24 tournament championships, 29 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup three times (2013, 2014, and 2016), while winning five NCAA Division II National Championships.

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