Garden City, N.Y. - In a day with heavy amounts of offense, the Adelphi University softball team split its doubleheader against University of New Haven on Thursday afternoon, by the final scores of 7-2 and 2-1 at Janet L. Ficke Field.
Game 1: Adelphi 7, New Haven 2
The Brown and Gold used an early spurt in the day's early action to rest on the laurels of their defense as the afternoon progressed.
A leadoff bomb started the second inning for the Cats, courtesy of
Maddy Moore for a team-leading third home run this season.
Ellen Tarjan's RBI single later brought home Angeline Montañez, after the latter slugged a double herself.
Staying contained over the next two innings,
Tori Parente laid down a bunt as the second batter of the fifth to advance
Zee Zee Shreter. This play got wild quick, as Shreter attempting to advance to third forced a throwing error, with the ball bouncing off of her helmet into foul ground. The misplay allowed the Delran, N.J. native to score the third run in favor of the Panthers.
Three more were later tacked on for insurance, highlighted by a
Brianna Pearson double over the head of the center fielder.
Holding the 6-0 advantage, starting pitcher
Lily Kenney was twirling a gem through five frames, only allowing one baserunner on four strikeouts. Despite retiring the first batter in the sixth, three consecutive singles broke up both the no-hitter and shutout. By inning's end, Kenney gave up three hits and two runs.
Persevering through the chaos of the sixth, the sophomore sat down five of her final seven faced, earning her seventh win of the season. Kenney's final line consisted of two earned runs and five strikeouts on three hits.
Game 2: Adelphi 2, New Haven 3
The nightcap saw a different tone, with the two sides trading blows until a late score aided the Chargers to victory.
After an uneventful first inning, an opposing single and a Montañez sacrifice fly knotted up the contest at one after two frames.
Despite allowing the opening run of the game, starter
Jenna Plue escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second to the thrill of the home crowd.
Angelina Kellogg singled and later reached third in the next inning, with a subsequent fierce lineout to center from
Courtney Wengryn giving Adelphi their first lead of Game 2.
Defense continued to shine as the sun began to set, with Plue registering seven strikeouts through five. A deep double to the gaps from the visitors in the sixth however tied up the game once more, this time at two-all.
Pearson singled to apply some pressure to end the sixth, but Moore then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to send the tightly-fought battle into the seventh.
New Haven led off the final inning with a double and a walk, putting runners at the corners following a fielder's choice. With two outs in the frame, a costly error on a popup scored the decisive third run for the Chargers.
With their backs on the wall, the home bats weren't able to respond, ending the day with a split.
Head Coach
Katie Apostolopoulos and the Panthers will be back in action tomorrow, April 18 on the road against Southern Connecticut State University. Game time from New Haven, Conn. is scheduled for 2:30 p.m..
