New Britain, Conn. (April 5, 2013)—The Sacred Heart Softball team was shutout by the undefeated Central Connecticut State Blue Devils Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers fell 5-0 and 4-0 in the doubleheader. SHU is now 16-13 on the season and 2-4 against Northeast Conference opponents.

Jade Bowins went 2-for-3 from the plate in the first game, but was never able to get anything going offensively for the Pioneers. Sacred Heart had opportunities in the third and sixth innings leaving a total of four runners in scoring position throughout the game. Nicole Sidor (West Vancouver, BC) tossed four innings giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out five. Taylor Lane (Lisbon, Conn.) came in in relief in the fifth to give up another run on two hits and struck out one batter. 

The Blue Devils' Laura Messina pitched a complete second game holding the Pioneers scoreless and to just three hits. Rookie Adrianna Mallory (Pine Bush, N.Y.) got the loss for SHU pitching six innings and giving up four runs on eight hits.  Sidor, Justine Sibthorp (Santa Clarita, Calif.) and Jenn Robillard (Plainville, Mass.) were the only Pioneers to get a hit off Messina. Sacred Heart had a chance in the bottom of the six. With one out, Robillard and Sidor singled for runners on first and second and were moved over by Annie Dreher's (Saugus, Calif.) walk, but outs by Bowins and Kate Nadler (Southbury, Conn.) ended the game.

Sacred Heart returns home Sunday for a doubleheader against the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds starting at noon.