The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team defeated Columbia University in a pair of games on Wednesday, April 18 in Hackensack, NJ. The Knights out-scored the Lions, 4-1 and 4-3 to move to 25-16 on the season.
Columbia struck first in the top of the second with a homerun to left center field. The Knights responded quickly a single by Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) in the bottom of the second.
Dorado stole second base and scored on a single by Marikka Benson (Lacey, WA/Timberline) to tie the game at two.
In the fifth inning, Lauren Hamilton (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville) reached on a bunt and advanced to second when Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) reached on an error. Hamilton scored in the next at bat when Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) hit a long single to the right-field wall.
Allaire Primiano (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) pinch ran for Bradac with Jordan Needle (Camarillo, CA/La Reina College Prep) at the plate. Needle drove in Primiano and Zamudio to give FDU a 4-1 lead.
Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) earned the win in game one to move to 14-6 on the season. She allowed one run on five hits. She struck out six and walked three.
The Lions recorded a single to start game two and advanced the runner to third on two ground outs. A single drove home the runner to put Columbia up, 0-1.
In the bottom of the third Zamudio reached base on a single to center field. Bradac gave the Knights a 2-1 lead with a two-run homerun, her eighth of the season.
Columbia tied the game in the top of the fifth when a runner reached on a center field error and advanced to third on an infield throwing error. A Columbia single drove home an unearned run to give both teams two runs.
The Knights responded quickly in the bottom of the fifth. Zamudio doubled to right center and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Castro and Bradac walked, Needle hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the sixth the Knights added another run on another Zamudio hit. The hit scored Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) who walked earlier in the inning.
The Lions threatened the Knights' lead in the top of the seventh with a homerun, but Reiner entered the game as a relief pitcher and struck out the side to conclude the game.
Bradac led the Knights with two RBIs in game two, while Zamudio recorded four hits in four at bats. Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) earned the win through five innings of work. She allowed one earned run on nine hits. Reiner picked up her fourth save of the year.
The Knights host conference opponent, Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, April 21. The double header will begin at 1:00 pm.
