Irvine, Calif. - As its opening week in the Golden State comes to a close, the Adelphi University softball team fell twice to Concordia University Irvine on Saturday afternoon, by the final scores of 1-0 and 6-2.
Game 1: Adelphi 0, Concordia Irvine 1 (F/8)
Defensive slugfests continue to be the theme of the latter half of the trip out west, as both teams went hitless through the first three frames.
Lindsey Hibbs manned the circle for another Game 1 and brought her stuff. The grad student only allowed one baserunner due to a hit by pitch who was left stranded on second.
The Panthers were stifled by the Golden Eagles' flamethrower Kaitlyn Entrup, an NFCA Second Team All-American in 2023. The senior also held Adelphi hitless until the fourth inning, when a two-out single up the middle from
Alexa Sacripante broke up the no-hit bid. A subsequent groundout by
Jaden Farhat ended the inning with the same deadlocked score.
Courtney Murphy got the spark going again in the sixth with her lead-off infield single. Despite advancing to second with just one out,
Courtney Wengryn and Sacripante were unable to drive her in, halting any further momentum.
Luckily for the 'Cats, the lack of hit luck extended to both dugouts, with Hibbs allowing just two hits in seven innings on five strikeouts to force the game to extra innings. Adelphi was retired 1-2-3 to start the eighth, leaving the hosts' with their chance in the bottom half. After Hibbs secured the first out, CUI's Shelli Faulk hit a walk-off blast over the fence to score the game's lone run.
Game 2: Adelphi 2, Concordia Irvine 6
The nightcap started the same as the matinee, with no score or anyone reaching base in the first inning. That would soon change. As collegiate rookie
Lily Kenney came in to pitch in her fifth-ever game, the Golden Eagles scored by small ball, after a single up the middle plated a runner from third in the second inning.
More pressure came in the following inning, when two consecutive doubles and a sacrifice fly very quickly increased the margin to 3-0. In the fourth however, Adelphi was able to capitalize in key positions. With a near perfect ball hit down the right-field line by Wengryn, Murphy was able to score all the way from first base to get the 'Cats in the run column. Even though Sacripante made contact as the next batter, a fielder's choice got Wengryn out at third.
As Kenney approached the fifth frame, CUI began to connect for more big plays. Two doubles to the gaps were the biggest of the three hits in the inning, combining for three runs heading into the final two innings. The Panthers once again put something together in the sixth after
Zee Zee Shreter came to pinch run for Sacripante. After a passed ball, Shreter stole two bases, scoring from second to cut the deficit to 6-2.
Jayden Nishi came in to close the seventh for CUI, but
Angelina Kellogg singled up the middle. Even with the good start,
Kendall Winn hit into a double play and Murphy fouled out to end any comeback for the Brown and Gold, concluding their first week of play.
Head Coach
Carla Campagna and the Panthers will now get nearly a month off after their first week in California. Their next game will be the home opener on March 13 against Queens College at Janet L. Ficke Field. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
