Bucknell Box Score Detroit-Mercy Box Score
The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team opened play at the Rebel Spring Games with a 6-2 win over Bucknell and a 3-4 loss to Detroit-Mercy. The Knights improve to 7-1 on the season.
The Bison of Bucknell scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a home-run to left field. Pitcher, Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) struck out the next two batters to end the inning and cut the Bucknell momentum.
After a scoreless second inning, the Knights rebounded with two runs of their own. After hitting a single Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) advanced on a second single from Elizabeth Woidt. Zamudio rounded third, while Bucknell attempted to throw Woidt out. Zamudio was caught in a rundown between third base and home plate before a throwing error by the Bucknell pitcher allowed Zamudio to sneak home, putting the Knights on the board.
Bradac singled to center field to drive Woidt home in the next at bat. After three innings, the score was tied at two.
The Knights broke open the lead in the fifth inning. Another single from Zamudio and a walk from Bradac put two runners on for freshman Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard). Dorado blasted a homerun to right center to add three runs to the Knights' total.
An RBI single from Zamudio, her third hit of the day, drove home Paige Castro (Elk Grove, CA/Franklin) in the sixth inning to give the Knights their final lead, 6-2.
Zamudio led the team with three hits in four at bats against Bucknell. She had one RBI, while Dorado's homer added three.
Bradac earned the win in the game. She pitched a complete seven innings with seven strikeouts, just one walk and two runs on four hits.
The Knights' afternoon tilt pitted them against Detroit-Mercy. A homerun by the Titans' lead-off batter put FDU in a position to catch up from the start. Detroit-Mercy added a second run on a sacrifice fly before the end of the first inning.
Zamudio led the Knights off with a single to left field and advanced to second on Woidt's ground out. Bradac made contact with a ball that sat in the infield for a split second. The Titan infield snatched the ball and threw Bradac out at first, but enabled Zamudio to use her speed to score on the play. After the first inning, the Knights trailed 1-2.
Woidt singled in the third inning and stole second to put the Knights in scoring position. A double from Bradac drove her home to tie the game at two after three innings.
In the fourth, a string of hits and a Knight error allowed the Titans to score another two runs, to take a 4-2 lead.
The Knights battled back in the bottom of the seventh inning. Marikka Benson (Lacey, WA/Timberline) took first base before a successful Lauren Hamilton (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville) bunt put runners on first and second. An RBI single from Zamudio drove home Benson to bring the Knights within one run. FDU was unable to capitalize on two runners on in the last inning and dropped their first contest of the year, 3-4.
Zamudio led the Knights again with two hits in three at bats. She also added an RBI. Bradac team the team in RBIs with two.
Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) earned the loss for FDU. Shaughnessy allowed four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings of work. Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) relieved Shaughnessy. She allowed no runs on two hits with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
The Knights will face Nebraska-Omaha and Saint Peter's in afternoon games on Sunday, March 11.
