The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team (5-19, 1-3 NEC) split with visiting Quinnipiac (6-21, 1-3 NEC) in a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at FDU Softball Field. The Bobcats took the first game 11-1, despite a home run from Brianne Benedict (Alliance, OH/West Branch) (Alliance, OH), but the Knights bounced back with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap.
Quinnipiac put one on the board in the top of the first inning, as Katie Allendorfer plated Jessica Amenda.
Ali Keltos (Shelton, CT/Lauralton Hall) (Shelton, CT) tried to get things going for the Knights in the bottom of the inning, smacking a single to right field that she turned into a triple when the ball was misplayed, but the Knights were unable to bring her home.
Quinnipiac added two more runs in the second inning on an Emily Bellush home run and an RBI single from Christine Bourdeau. The Bobcats had four more runs in the fifth inning, but the Knights were able to work out of the inning as Trina Fields (Norridge, IL/Ridgewood) (Norridge, IL) forced a groundout to end the inning, stranding the three runners on base.
On the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning, leadoff hitter Benedict smacked her first home run of the season over the center field fence. Jessica Amenda finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Joelle Jacobsen went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Heather Maffeo was 1-for-4 with three RBI.
Heather Scwartzburg got the win for the Bobcats, allowing four hits in six innings and striking out seven.
In the second game of the day, Bourdeau's home run over left field gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning, which they held until Alex Schubert's (Maybrook, NY) first home run of the season, into center field. After getting hit by a pitch and taking first, the call was overruled. With two strikes against her, Schubert knocked the next pitch out of the park to give FDU the 2-1 lead.
With one out, Lindsay Glidden (Peachtree City, GA/Starr's Mill) (Peachtree City, GA) sent her second home run of the season over the fence, adding another run to the board for the Knights.
With the bases loaded and a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning, Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood) (Kent, WA) struck out the batter looking to seal the win. Shreve pitched seven innings, scattering six hits and striking out four.
“In the first game we came out pretty flat, with no real energy, which showed in all aspects of the game,” said Head Coach Dale Martin. “We made some physical and mental mistakes that hurt us and Quinnipiac did a nice job of capitalizing on that.”
“In the second game, we did a nice job bouncing back,” said Martin. “We let go of the first game and the team did a good job of changing their outlook and playing together. There was a lot of support; they communicated a lot more both on and off the field and I think that was part of getting the clutch hitting that we needed. Alex had a great hit and Lindsay really stepped up getting that third run. Brianne has always done a nice job of getting on base; she's been a good leadoff batter for us.”
The Knights are back in action on April 4, when they play against Robert Morris in Moon Township, PA. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
