FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team earned a doubleheader split against LIU on Friday afternoon in Northeast Conference play at Pioneer Park. The Pios dominated the first game, winning 9-1 before suffering a 6-0 setback in the nightcap.  

Team Records
Sacred Heart (18-28, 9-11 NEC)
LIU (27-21, 12-7 NEC)

Game 1: SHU 9, LIU 1
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (W, 6.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts, 9-11 record)
Kira Buckner (LIU) - (L, 3.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 3 strikeouts, 6-6 record) 
Lindsey Cowans (LIU) - (2.2 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)

Top Performers:
Emily Carroll (SHU) – 4-4, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 1 double
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 double
Nicole Henke (SHU) – 1-2, 1 run, 3 RBI, 1 home run, 2 walks

Of Note:
The Pioneers answered an LIU run in the top of the first by evening the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning. Emily Carroll started the frame with a leadoff double before Sam Kowalski singled in the next at-bat to drive her home. 

Following a scoreless second inning, SHU added another run in the bottom of the third. For the second time in the contest, Carroll and Kowalski teamed up to put a run on the scoreboard, as Carroll singled in the second at-bat of the frame and Kowalski drove her home with a double to left center field. 

Sacred Heart blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth, adding four runs to its lead to go ahead 6-1. After an Amy Petrovich leadoff single, Nicole Henke blasted a pitch over the left-field fence for her fifth homer of the season. Then, Jenna Mowad plated the next run on an LIU error before Carroll drove in Victoria Lopinto for the final score of the frame. 

The Pioneers added runs in the fifth and sixth to ice the six-inning, 9-1 victory in the opener. Henke plated the first run of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk, while Mowad ended the game with a walk-off single to left to plate Haile Ebert. 

In the circle, Kowalski cruised to her ninth win of the season. The first year allowed one earned run over 6.0 innings, striking out four along the way. 

Game 2: LIU 6, SHU 0
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 4.2 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 5-5 record)
Liv Vadas (SHU) - (2.1 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Alyssa O'Donnell (SJU) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 9-7 record) 

Top Performers:
Emily Carroll (SHU) – 1-3, 1 triple

Of Note:
After a scoreless first inning, the Sharks scored one run in the second inning and two in the third to go ahead 3-0 after three. 

LIU added three more runs in the fifth inning to go ahead 6-0, which was good enough to earn a victory in the nightcap. 

In the second game, Carroll, Mowad, Alyssa Gonzalez, and Charlene Davis each tallied a hit for SHU. Carroll's hit was a triple in the Pios' first at-bat of the bout. 

Up Next
The Pios and Sharks will conclude the weekend series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. clash at Pioneer Park.