FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team swept a home doubleheader against Northeast Conference-leading Saint Francis on Friday afternoon after two strong offensive outings. The Pios took game one by an 11-6 final score before tallying a 7-4 win in the nightcap.
Team Records
Sacred Heart (15-20, 7-7 NEC)
Saint Francis (18-20, 10-4 NEC)
Game 1: SHU 11, SFU 6
Pitchers:
Liv Vadas (SHU) - (2.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Emily Heath (SHU) - (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 5-2 record)
Grace Vesco (SFU) - (L, 3.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 11-10 record)
Marissa Frederick (SFU) - (3.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Top Performers:
Amy Petrovich (SHU) – 4-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 1 triple
Emily Carroll (SHU) – 3-5, 1 run, 1 triple
Alyssa Gonzalez (SHU) – 1-3, 1 run, 4 RBI, 1 grand slam, 2 walks
Of Note:
The Red Flash opened game one by scoring one run in the first and three runs in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead heading into the home half of the frame.
SHU left the second inning tied at 4-4 after stringing together four runs on two hits, three walks, a hit-by-pitch, and an error. With the bases loaded and two outs,
Amy Petrovich swung the momentum towards the Pios with a bases-clearing triple down the right-field line. An SFU error two batters later brought the fourth run across for Sacred Heart.
The Pioneers added another run in the bottom of the third to take their first lead of the afternoon, 5-4. A
Haile Ebert walk led to the junior stealing second in the next at-bat before being driven home from scoring position on a single by
Jenna Mowad.
The contest then went an inning and a half without a run before SHU blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth. The Pios tallied six runs on five hits in the frame, highlighted by an
Alyssa Gonzalez grand slam to center field. The senior has hit an NEC-best 12 homers this season and is one away from 50 in her career.
An 11-4 lead was more than enough of a cushion for
Emily Heath, who entered in relief in the third and picked up the victory by going 5.0 innings while allowing two earned runs. With the win, the first year hurler improved to 5-2 this season.
Game 2: SHU 7, SFU 4
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 6-9 record)
Rachel Marsden (SFU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 7-10 record)
Top Performers:
Amy Petrovich (SHU) – 2-4, 2 RBI
Carly Koltko (SHU) – 1-4, 1 run, 3 RBI
Of Note:
Following scoreless first and second innings, Saint Francis again opened the game by putting the first runs on the scoreboard. The Red Flash tallied the contest's first hits and scored twice to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the third.
The Pioneers answered by scoring seven runs over the third and fourth frames.
Sam Kowalski started the third inning by being hit by a pitch before a walk, and an error loaded the bases. Petrovich came up big again in game two, hitting a single to bring the first run in.
Carly Koltko stepped to the plate next and sent a single to center field to score two runners and make it a 3-2 SHU lead.
With the bases loaded again,
Nicole Henke gave the Pios their fourth run with an RBI single up the middle. Sacred Heart then brought Kowalski back to the plate after hitting around. Kowalski was hit by a pitch for the second time in the half inning to give the Pioneers a 5-2 advantage through three.
SHU widened its lead, 7-2, in the fourth with two more runs. Petrovich and Koltko capped their outstanding days with RBI at-bats in the fourth. With hits in both games this afternoon, Koltko extended her hit streak to 15 consecutive games.
Kowalski made the most of her five-run cushion by securing a complete-game victory to move to 6-9 on the year. The standout first year ceded three earned runs over 7.0 innings with five strikeouts.
Up Next
The Pios and Red Flash conclude this weekend's series with a noon game tomorrow afternoon at Pioneer Park.
