Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HACKENSACK, N.J. - The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team came into its doubleheader with Central Connecticut with a .500 (2-2) record in Northeast Conference play and remained at .500 with a split with the Blue Devils on Saturday.

The Knights took game one behind the top of half of the lineup driving in four-of-the-five runs and going 6-for-11 at the plate. In game two, Fairleigh Dickinson came back to tie the game late before Central Connecticut hit a seventh-inning home run to provide the difference.

Fairleigh Dickinson moves to 10-25 overall and 3-3 in NEC play. Central Connecticut is now 15-19-1 overall and 4-2 in NEC play.

Game 1 (Fairleigh Dickinson 5, Central Connecticut 3)
Fairleigh Dickinson opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Reanna Cervantes drove in Francine Villalobos on a sacrifice fly to get the first run across. The next batter, Madison Lerma, knocked in Kellie Natham to double the Knights' lead. Cervantes' RBI was her 25th of the season and Lerma's 11th.

Madelaine Wilen doubled the lead in the second inning when the senior hit a two-run home run to center field that scored Stephanie Collins. It was Wilen's fourth of the season and RBIs 11 and 12 for the catcher.

The Blue Devils got on the board in the fourth inning when Eileen Purcell reached on an error to start the frame. She scored later in the inning on a double by Brittany McNulla with two outs.

After Wilen was caught stealing in the fifth, Kellie Natham chopped one over the third baseman's head for a hit. Natham would then score when Central tried to catch Cervantes stealing to make it 5-1 Knights.

Central Connecticut answered the Knights' run in the bottom of the fifth with two of their own in the top of the sixth. Alexis Debrosse doubled to right center but that was all the scoring the Blue Devils could get. Baylee Ports relieved starter, Loren Stavrou, and stranded a pair of runners to end the frame.

Cheryl Lopez came on to pitch the seventh. After a line out back to her, Lopez allowed a single and then walked the bases loaded with one out. Debrosse came up with the bases loaded and on a 1-1 count lined into an unassisted double play by Villalobos at second, who caught the line drive and stepped on the bag at second to double-off Purcell to end the game.

Stavrou (3-8) picked up the win after going five-plus innings allowing three runs (two earned). Lopez earned her second save of the week and of her career by getting out of the jam in the seventh.

Game 2 (Central Connecticut 10, Fairleigh Dickinson 7)
Both teams had the bats going in game number two of the afternoon. The two teams scored in their halves of the first, second and fourth innings.

Central Connecticut stuck in the first inning with a two-run single from Evie Rentzel. Madelaine Wilen led off the game for the Knights in the bottom half of the frame with a solo homer on the third pitch she saw. It was Wilen's second of the day and 23rd of her career.

Courtney Slye led off the second inning for the Knights like how Wilen did in the first, with a solo home run to make it 4-2 Central Connecticut. The Blue Devils scored twice on an Eileen Purcell two-run single in the top half.

Reanna Cervantes got in on the lead-off inning solo home run action for the Knights. The freshman did it in the third with a blast to center field -- now 4-3 Central. Cervantes now has three on the season and 25 RBI.

In the top of the fourth, Central Connecticut added to its lead. Debrosse singled to right to bring Brittany Camara -- Purcell was caught in a rundown on the pay between third and home before getting tagged out. Rentzel, who singled to load the bases earlier in the inning, scored on a throwing on Debrosse steal of second base.

Fairleigh Dickinson would tie the score in the bottom half of the inning at six. After a ground out, Serena Meehan -- third at-bat of the year -- reached on an error. Meehan would come around to score the first run of the frame on a Francine Villalobos single to center. Wilen scored on an error to make it a 6-5 game. Cervantes was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Slye followed with a walk to tie the game. Slye is the seventh Knight to reach 10 RBI this season.

The Knights would take their first lead of the game in the fifth when Villalobos knocked in her 13th run of the season with a single that scored Holly Mercier.

Central Connecticut would tie the game in the sixth on an RBI groundout. The Blue Devils would take the lead back in the seventh on a three-run home run from Camara, which went down the right field line.

After getting the win in game one, Loren Stavrou (3-9) took the loss in game two. Stavrou pitched four innings of relief and allowed three runs. Emily Sargent (10-8), who got the loss in game one, pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.

Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action tomorrow at Sacred Heart for a NEC doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. in Fairfield, Connecticut. The game will be shown live on necfrontrow.com.