The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team dropped two games to Sacred Heart University on Friday, April 6 in Fairfield, CT. The Knights fell, 3-6 in game one and 5-6 in a nine-inning game two. The Knights fall to 20-9 on the season, with a 5-3 mark in Northeast Conference action.
Sacred Heart took a 0-1 lead in the bottom of the first when the SHU pitcher singled to left field and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. The runner scored when the FDU left fielder lost a fly ball in the sun.
A single by Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) started the Knights offense in the top of the fourth. Allaire Primiano (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) entered as a pinch runner and scored on a double to left field by Jordan Needle (Camarillo, CA/La Reina College Prep). One batter later, Maria Roney (Anacortes, WA/Anacortes) added a single up the middle that enabled Needle to score. The Knights held a 2-1 advantage through the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, a string of six hits enabled the Pioneers take add five runs to their total and take a 2-6 lead.
The Knights fought back in the top of the seventh, adding one run on a double from Roney and an RBI single from Lauren Hamilton (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville) but were unable to catch the Pioneers' total.
Roney led the Knights offensively with two hits in three at bats. The sophomore also added one RBI and scored one run.
Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) suffered her first loss of the season on the mound. The rookie drops to 12-1 after allowing five earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out six and walked two in six innings of work.
After two infield errors by SHU, the Knights had runners on the corners with just one out in the first inning. Needle singled to drove home Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) and give FDU a 1-0 lead. A groundout by Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) drove home Bradac later in the inning to put FDU up, 2-0.
The Pioneers responded with two runs on three hits and a walk in the bottom of the first inning, tying the game at two.
Both teams added a third run in the second inning to maintain the tie score.
In the top of the sixth, Roney doubled to left center and advanced to third on a fielding error. Elizabeth Woidt singled through the left side, scoring Roney and putting the Knights ahead, 4-3. Later in the inning, Zamudio reached on an error by the pitcher and enabled Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood) to score on the play.
After six innings the Knights led, 5-3.
The Pioneers tied the game at five on two runs off two walks and two singles in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Reiner relieved Maire Shuaghnessy on the mound following the two scored runs. She forced the next batter to ground into a double play to end the inning and send the game into extras.
Both teams were scoreless in the eighth inning but a home run to left center in the bottom of the ninth sealed the win,5-6, for SHU.
Reiner earned the loss in the second game with one earned run on one hit in 1.2 innings of work. Bradac pitched the majority of the game, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in six innings.
The Knights are back in action on Saturday, April 7 at LIU Brooklyn.
