STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split a doubleheader at Wagner College on Sunday, April 28 to conclude the Northeast Conference schedule. The Knights defeated the Seahawks, 5-1, before falling, 4-3, in a 10-inning battle.  The Knights move to 22-20 on the year, with an even 10-10 NEC mark, while Wagner concludes the season with a record of 12-37, including 3-17 in NEC action.

After two scoreless innings, Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) doubled down the right-field line to put a runner on base for the Knights in the third.  A groundout advanced Shaughnessy to third before a single up the middle by Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) scored Shaughnessy to give the Knights the lead.

The Knights added a second run in the fourth inning when Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) led off with a double and was driven home on a single from Shaughnessy.

Wagner responded in the bottom of the fourth and started the inning with a hit deep into the right-field corner. With a runner on third, the Seahawks singled to left field to score a run and bring the score to 2-1.

A solo home run from Fernandez put the Knights ahead 3-1 in the top of the sixth and began a sixth-inning rally for FDU. Hits by Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley High School) and Angelique Nieves (Union City, N.J./High Tech High School) and an RBI groundout by Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) gave the Knights a 5-1 cushion as they entered the final innings.

Wagner threatened with two base runners and no outs in the sixth, but the Knights were able to stop all opportunities and take the win, 5-1.

Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) earned the win to move to 3-7 on the year. She allowed one run on six hits through seven innings, struck out three and walked two while facing 31 batters.

Offensively, the Knights produced eight hits, while holding the Seahawks to six.

The Knights continued the string of momentum to begin game two. Wilen lead off with a single up the middle and stole second quickly. Julia Northcutt (Irvine, Calif./Northwood High School) advanced Wilen to third on a sacrifice bunt before the Knights took a 1-0 lead when Fernandez recorded an RBI groundout.

Wagner's leadoff batter singled through the left side to start the bottom of the first and went on to score on a single to center field, tying the game at one.

Zamudio walked to begin the second and advanced on a successful steal and a wild pitch. Shaughnessy drew a one-out walk to put runners on first and third with Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) at the plate. Shaughnessy broke to steal second and allowed Zamudio to cross home on the throw, giving the Knights a 2-1 lead.

The Seahawks claimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two consecutive doubles and a long single to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of the home team.

In the top of the sixth, Slye drove in Northcutt on a single up the middle to even the game at three.

After three scoreless innings, the Seahawks entered the bottom of the 10th with a runner on second from the international tie breaker rule. A walk gave Wagner two base runners when the next batter laid a bunt down the third base line. An infield error on the attempt to throw the runner out at third allowed the Seahawks to cross home and take the win, 4-3.

Shaughnessy started the game on the mound and pitched 4.2 innings. She allowed three earned runs to score on eight hits, while striking out four and walking just one. Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) entered in relief in the fifth inning and completed the game for 4.1 innings of work but was charged with the loss despite allowing only two hits and no earned runs

The Knights produced just four hits in game two, compared to the Seahawks' 10.

Fernandez led the Knights with three hits and two RBI on the day. The senior recorded a double and a home run in her final Northeast Conference game. Shaughnessy, Slye, Nieves, Wilen and Zamudio all added one RBI for the Knights.

FDU will conclude the 2013 season with a road trip to West Point, N.Y. The Knights will face Army in a doubleheader on Saturday, May 4.