Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HAMPTON, Va. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team swept both of their games on Sunday to conclude the Hampton Invitational at the Lady Pirates Complex. The Knights rallied and won on sophomore Julia Northcutt (Irvine, Calif./Northwood High School)'s two-out-walk-off single in the bottom of seventh to defeat Saint Joseph's 3-2, before scoring five runs over the final three innings to take down Hartford, 7-4. With the victories, FDU improves to 3-2 on the season.

"We produced timely hitting in both games," Head Coach Candi Letts said. "Our team will have an opportunity for continued success if we can stick to the process. The pitching staff pitched by committee in both games to seal the two wins. It was a strong outing by the four who pitched. Overall, these were two very good games that we showed improvement throughout – two terrific team victories."

In the opener against Saint Joseph's, the Knights struck first in the bottom of the second to take an early 1-0 lead. Junior Angelique Nieves (Union City, N.J./High Tech High School) led off the frame with a single, stole second and came around to score on freshman Madison Lerma (Escondido, Calif./Escondido)'s one-out RBI single to left field.

But the Hawks would get the run back in the top of the third on an RBI double from Madeline Brunck with one out.

Neither side scored over the next two innings, although Saint Joseph's placed the go-ahead run on third base in the fourth and the fifth. Junior Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) relived sophomore Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) with two outs and runners on second and third in the fifth and promptly recorded a strikeout to escape the jam.

After FDU went down in order in the bottom of the fifth, the Hawks took their first lead in the top of the sixth on Ashley Alden's solo home run to right-center field with two outs.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Knights responded with a single run in the bottom of the frame to tie the contest at 2-2, as Nieves doubled home sophomore Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) with one out while advancing Northcutt to third. But Northcutt would be stranded when the inning ended.

Reiner ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh after a single and error eventually put runners on second and third with one out. Saint Joseph's then attempted a squeeze attempt, but Wilen snared the foul ball from her catcher's position and fired down to third to complete the inning-ending double play.

Small ball won the game for FDU in its final at-bat. Redshirt senior Liz Woidt (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton) started the frame with a walk and found herself on third base after a pair of sacrifice bunts from freshmen Cheryl Lopez (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and Alex Portesi (Chino, Calif./Don Antonio Lugo). After Wilen was pluncked with a pitch and stole second base, Northcutt delivered the game winner to score Woidt.

Reiner (2-0) earned the victory in the circle after allowing one earned run on two hits in her 2.1 innings of relief, striking out three and walking none. Stavrou tossed the first 4.2 innings, walking three and striking out three, while allowing only one earned run on three hits.

Liz Mendez was tagged with the loss for the Hawks after going the distance. She limited the Knights to only four hits, with Nieves collecting a pair for FDU. Mendez walked two and struck out eight but yielded three stolen bases to the Knights.

Against Hartford, FDU loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third and scored twice to take a 2-0 lead. Nieves squeezed home Portesi with an RBI bunt single, before Lerma plated Wilen with an RBI fielder's choice.

But the Hawks responded in a big way in the bottom half of the inning with four runs to go in front 4-2. With two outs and nobody on, Hartford began its rally with a single and a fielding error by the Knights. The Hawks then took advantage with a two-run double from Jackie Kelly and a two-run home run by Chelsey Moon.

However, FDU would construct its own two-out rally in the top of the fifth by scoring three times to take the lead for good at 5-4. Nieves drove home junior Briana Dorado with an RBI single. After Nieves stole second, she came around to score on Lerma's RBI double to right-center field. Lerma then capped the scoring after she stole third and advanced home on the catcher's errant throw.

The Knights added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings on Wilen's RBI double down the left-field line and Reiner's RBI fielder's choice.

Lopez (1-1) was excellent in relief, as she earned her first collegiate victory. Lopez pitched the final four innings and limited Hartford to only three hits, while walking two and striking out five. Senior Samantha Lemm (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional High School) made her season debut with the start and was touched for four runs, none earned, on five hits in 3.0 innings of work.

Four Knights collected two hits for FDU, who had nine in the game. Lerma led the way with two safeties, two runs and two RBI, while Nieves tallied two more hits and drove home two. Both players also stole a base, as the Knights collected three more in the contest. They also took advantage of five errors.

The Hawks' Zuzana Kuder was charged with the loss after FDU roughed her up five runs, two earned, on six hits over 4.2 innings. She walked one and struck out five.

Three players had two hits for Hartford, who manufactured eight in the game.

FDU will return to action March 7-9 at the Mustang Classic, hosted by Cal Poly, in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The Knights will play five contests at the tournament and will remain in California until March 16 to play a total of 12 games.