The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team started the Hampton University Tournament with two wins a one loss, Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5 in Hampton, Virginia. The Knights improve to 5-2 on the season.
In Friday's game the Knights took on New Jersey opponent, Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights took a 6-0 lead in the second inning.
In the bottom of the third, FDU scored one run after freshman Paige Castro (Elk Grove, CA/Franklin) doubled to right field and was advanced home on a hit by Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo).
The game was halted due to darkness in the fifth inning. On Saturday morning the Knights and Scarlet Knights resumed play. FDU ultimately fell, 7-1.
Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood) pitched for the Knights, allowing six hits, seven earned runs and three walks. She struck out two batters. Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) pitched 3.1 relief innings and allowed just one hit and no earned runs.
The Knights faced Marist Saturday morning. The Red Foxes took a 4-0 lead after scoring two runs in the first and second innings. In the top of the third, Castro singled up the middle with two outs before Lauren Hamilton (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville) hit a single down the left-field line to advance Castro to second.
After the runners advanced one base on a passed ball, Fernandez drove both runs home on an RBI single.
The Knights took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth with a run batted in by Maria Roney (Anacortes, WA/Anacortes). Marist responded with a run of their own in the fourth, tying the game at three.
In the top of the fifth, Fernandez doubled to center field before Berkleigh Massey (Oceanside, CA/Rancho Buena Vista) singled to right to drive Fernandez home. Later in the inning Bradac singled to left-center to drive home two runs.
Marist scored one run to tie the game at six in the bottom of the sixth. The Knights responded in the top of the seventh. Bradac doubled down the left-field line and scored on a Roney double to right field. Roney advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored, giving the Knights an 8-6 lead on a single from Allaire Primiano (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow).
Bradac pitched a competed game against Marist. She allowed six hits and three earned runs.
Fernandez and Bradac led the Knights with three RBIs a piece.
In the third game of the day, FDU took on the University of Maryland - Eastern Shore. The Knights took a 6-0 lead after scoring three runs in both the first and second innings.
In the fourth inning, Massey drove home two runs on her first collegiate homerun. The Knights took a 9-1 lead.
The Hawks added one run to their score in the fifth inning but the Knights responded in the top of the sixth. Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) hit her first homerun of the season for one RBI. The Knights recorded three more hits and two runs to take the win, 11-2.
Hamilton led the Knights going 3-for-4 against UMES. She also had three RBIs. Massey also recorded three RBIs for the Knights. Shaughnessy pitched six solid innings with five hits and one earned run.
"I was very happy with how the team came back from a 4-0 deficit [against Marist]," said Head Coach Dale Martin. "It was great to see us battle back with our bats."
