The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split a doubleheader against Army in West Point, NY on Wednesday afternoon. The Knights took a 4-1 win in the first game before falling in the second game of the day as the Black Knights rallied back to take a 5-4 win in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the first game, the Knights took hold of a 1-0 run in the first inning as Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) singled to left center to score Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood), who led off the inning with a walk.
FDU added a run in the top of the third as Shreve led off the inning with single to right center. Kristen Kinneer (Pottstown, PA/St. Peter's) advanced her with a sacrifice hit and Bradac's single to right center pushed Shreve across the plate. The Knights took a 4-0 advantage in the fifth inning as Bradac's double to center field plated Lauren Hamilton (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville) and Shreve.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Black Knights added a run as they started off with a single and an RBI double, but FDU's defense was able to close out the inning and take the 4-1 win.
FDU got on the board first in the second game as Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) started things off with a two-out single. Elizabeth Woidt followed with a single and Kristen Coughlan (Mount Royal, NJ/Kingsway) pushed Fernandez across the plate. Woidt then stole home to give Fairleigh Dickinson the 2-0 edge.
Bradac added another RBI on the day in the third inning as she singled to right field to score Shreve. In the bottom of the inning, Army cut into the Knights' lead with a run and added two more to tie up the game in the fourth inning.
Kinneer's double to left center in the sixth inning returned the lead to the Knights, but Army was able to put two runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the 5-4 victory.
Bradac earned the win on the mound, allowing only four hits in seven innings and striking out seven. Shreve was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, while Bradac was 3-for-3 with all four RBI.
Kinneer finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI. Fernandez was 2-for-4 and Kristen Coughlan (Mount Royal, NJ/Kingsway) went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Shreve took the loss for the Knights, scattering seven hits and striking out three.
"Both Cate and Kirsten pitched excellent games tonight," said Head Coach Dale Martin. "When we hit well enough, we win games. Defensively, we didn't execute the way we should have in the second game. That is something we need to correct."
The Knights will open their home season on Saturday when they return to conference action, hosting Monmouth.
