NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team suffered a road sweep at the hands of Yale in non-conference play on Wednesday afternoon in New Haven, Conn. The Bulldogs took the first game 7-3 and the nightcap 9-4.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (16-15)
Yale (17-16)
Game 1: Yale 7, SHU 3
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 4.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 4-6 record)
Elle Leckrone (SHU) - (2.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs)
Grace Westmoreland (Yale) - (W, 4.1 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 3 strikeouts, 2-0 record)
Caitlin LaFerney (Yale) - (2.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)
Maddie Latta (Yale) - (0.2 innings pitched, 2 earned runs)
Top Performers:
Savannah Moore – 2-4, 1 double
Alexa Barbera – 1-1, 1 run, 1 double
Of Note:
Yale opened the first game this afternoon with runs in the first four innings. The Bulldogs put one on the scoreboard in the first three frames before scoring three in the fourth to build a 6-0 lead.
The Pioneers got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth with a run from
Cierra Bender. The sophomore opened the inning with a single before getting to third following two outs. She crossed the plate on a passed ball to make it a 6-1 game.
After the Bulldogs took a 7-1 lead in the sixth, SHU started to rally in the seventh. A double, a walk and a single loaded the bases for
Jess Brown, who worked a walk to cut the margin to 7-2.
Elle Leckrone also worked a walk to make it a 7-3 game, meaning that Sacred Heart had the game-tying run at the plate. Unfortunately for SHU, a fly-out ended the contest.
Emily Heath and
Elle Leckrone made pitching appearances for the Pios. Heath threw 4.0 innings, while Leckrone tossed 2.0.
Game 2: Yale 9, SHU 4
Pitchers:
Genevieve Gleason (SHU) - (L, 1.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 0-1 record)
Carah Sweet (SHU) - (5.0 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 4 strikeouts)
Emma Taylor (Yale) - (W, 4.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 9-7 record)
Hannah Turner (Yale) - (3.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs)
Top Performers:
Charlene Davis – 2-3, 1 run, 1 double
Of Note:
The Bulldogs started the second game in pole position again, owning a 5-0 lead after the first two innings.
A three-run fourth put the Pioneers down 8-0 heading into the fifth.
Needing a run to extend the game, Sacred Heart plated one in the fifth to keep the contest going. A single and a walk put two runners on for the Pioneers, with
Allie Ortiz driving in her first collegiate run to make it an 8-1 game.
Charlene Davis brought in the Pioneers' next run in the top of the sixth, plating
Savannah Moore with a two-out double.
Alexa Barbera brought Davis home two at-bats later with an RBI single to cut the margin to five, 8-3.
Yale added a ninth run in the sixth, meaning SHU needed to overcome a 9-3 deficit in the seventh. The Pios got one run back on an RBI from
Ava Lichtenberger, the first of her collegiate career, but that proved to be the Pioneers' final run in a 9-4 defeat.
Genevieve Gleason and
Carah Sweet handled pitching responsibilities in game two. Gleason started and threw the first inning, while Sweet threw the final 5.0 frames in relief.
Up Next:
The Pioneers return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Friday, Apr. 4, with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Siena.
