The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split two games with Sacred Heart University on Sunday, April 10 in Hackensack, NJ. The Knights fell to the Pioneers, 5-2, in the first game before shutting out SHU with a score of 5-0 in the second game. With the win the Knights improve to 18-15 on the season (3-7 NEC), while the Pioneers move to 18-16 (7-3 NEC).
\The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning with back to back home runs from their fourth and fifth batters. SHU extended the lead to 5-0 in the fifth with a two-run homerun.
The Knights responded in the bottom of the fifth. Elizabeth Woidt (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) reached on an error to start the inning and advanced to second on a single from Allaire Primiano (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow). Both runners scored when freshman Marikka Benson (Lacey, WA/Timberline) (Lacey, WA/Timberline) doubled down the right field line.
FDU recorded eight hits, just one fewer than SHU, but left eight runners on base. They were unable to score after the fifth inning and fell, 2-5.
Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood) (Kent, WA/Kentwood) recorded the loss for the Knights. Shreve pitched 4.1 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits.
Benson led the Knights offensively. She went three-for-four and tallied two RBIs.
The second game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning. Woidt led off for the Knights with a double to left field. After two FDU strike-outs, Benson hit her second double of the day to score Woidt and give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Berkleigh Massey (Oceanside, CA/Rancho Buena Vista) (Oceanside, CA/Rancho Buena Vista) walked to give FDU another baserunner before Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) doubled to right center, scoring both Benson and Massey. Two more doubles, from Maria Roney (Anacortes, WA/Anacortes) (Anacortes, WA/Anacortes) and Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) (Mission Viejo, CA/Mission Viejo) added two more runs for the Knights to give them a 5-0 lead.
"Stringing five hits together in the third was the key difference between game one and game two," said Head Coach Dale Martin. "We produced timely hitting in game two, that's what gave us the win."
Bradac held Sacred Heart to just two hits through the end of the game to lead the Knights to a 5-0 victory over SHU. Bradac recorded the win with seven innings of work, just four hits and seven strike outs.
Bradac also led the Knights' offensive effort in game two with two hits in three at-bats with two RBIs. Woidt added two hits on three at-bats as well and scored one run.
"Cait [Bradac] pitched extremely well again today," said Martin. "She gave us the edge over Sacred Heart."
The Knights travel to West Long Branch, NJ on Saturday, April 16 to take on the Hawks of Monmouth University. First-pitch in the double-header is slated for 1:00 pm.
