The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split a doubleheader with host Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon in Pioneer Park in Fairfield, CT. The Knights are now 13-29 on the season, including a 3-11 Northeast Conference record. The Pioneers are now 19-23 overall, with an 8-6 mark in league play.
The only two runs of the first game were scored by the Knights in the top of the fifth inning.
Lauren Hamilton (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville) and Brianne Benedict (Alliance, OH/West Branch) had back-to-back singles to the left side of the infield and Alex Schubert, who laid down a sacrifice bunt, reached on an error. Hamilton scored on the play and Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland)'s single down the right field line scored Schubert to put the Knights ahead by two, which would remain for the final score.
Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) earned her 10th win of the season on the mound earning the complete game shutout with three walks and six strikeouts, allowing only five hits.
Mikalya Fernandez finished the game 2-for-3, while Hamilton was 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Benedict and Shaughnessy were each 1-for-2.
In the second game, Sacred Heart scored on an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. FDU responded in the top of the third inning as Liz Woidt (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton) started things off with a single down the middle, moving to second on a wild pitch. Kristen Kinneer (Pottstown, PA/St. Peter's) singled to left center to plate Woidt, putting the Knights on the board and knot the score.
But the Pioneers had a three-run third inning and added a run in the fourth and a run in the sixth to take the 6-1 win.
"In the first game we did a good job of executing the fundamentals, getting timely hitting and playing solid defense with good pitching," said Head Coach Dale Martin. "That was great to see. The differences in the second game were that we made some errors and we didn't get the timely hitting. But overall, the team played well. It was a good win for us and gives us something to build on."
The Knights return home to host Quinnipiac at noon on Sunday, April 25.
