HACKENSACK, N.J. – A shutout in game two gave the Fairleigh Dickinson softball team a split of a doubleheader against Stony Brook on Friday afternoon at the FDU Softball Field.
The Knights fell in game one before coming back in game two with strong pitching and timely hitting to grab the win in game two.
Game 1: Stony Brook 11, Fairleigh Dickinson 4
Stony Brook (13-25) scored in third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings – seven in the fourth – to create separation from Fairleigh Dickinson (4-31).
Neither team scored in the first two frames. Then Stony Brook broke through with a RBI double from Jourdin Hering that scored Sami Duffy in the top of the third.
The seven-run fourth inning for Stony Brook had 12 batters come to the plate. The first three runs of the inning scored on RBI singles to make the score 4-1 Seawolves. A RBI single from Duffy chased Knights' starter
Baylee Ports.
The final four runs in the inning were unearned. Two scored on a RBI single by Illeana Torres and two more scored on an error.
Stony Brook scored once in the top of the fifth to make it 9-0. The Knights' offense got going in the fifth though.
Jaymee Jackson,
Holly Mercier and
Ana Hayes singled to bring
Reanna Cervantes to plate with one out and the bases loaded. The sophomore promptly unloaded them with a grand slam to center field. It was Cervantes' fifth home run of the season and first career grand slam.
Stony Brook would add single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Fairleigh Dickinson had a chance to get closer in the bottom of the sixth. The Knights loaded the bases with two outs after a pair of walks and single, but Cervantes hit into a fielder's choice as Hayes was retired at second.
Ports (0-4) took the loss for the Knights after allowing seven runs, three earned over three and a third innings. Melissa Rahrich (9-10) went five innings and got the win.
Game 2: Fairleigh Dickinson 6, Stony Brook 0
Cheryl Lopez and
Irene Herrera teamed up to shutout Stony Brook (13-26) in game two. Herrera (1-4) picked up the win in relief after pitching five innings.
Fairleigh Dickinson (5-31) also got timely hitting in game two. Four of the Knights six runs scored with two outs.
Lopez and
Jaymee Jackson both delivered two-out RBI singles in the first inning to give Fairleigh Dickinson an early 2-0 lead. Lopez brought home
Serena Meehan and Jackson plated
Madison Emerson. Both Meehan and Emerson got on with two out in the inning.
Lopez worked around trouble in the third inning. The senior walked the bases loaded before retiring Jourdin Hering on a fielder's choice to get out of the inning.
Herrera relieved Lopez to start the third and worked around two singles to start the inning and kept Stony Brook off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the third, the Knights got another two-out RBI. This time it was
Francine Villalobos delivering the key hit to score Emerson again.
After Herrera worked a clean fourth, fifth and sixth, the Knights three more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Reanna Cervantes knocked in two runs with a single to right that scored Villalobos and
Ana Hayes.
Madison Emerson got on base for the fourth time with single to center that scored Cervantes.
Lopez and Herrera combined to allow only four hits, five walks – all by Lopez, and five strikeouts – four from Herrera.
Taylor Pechin (0-3) went five innings and allowed four runs to take the loss for Stony Brook.
Emerson did reach base all four time at the plate – two walk and two hits in game two. Jackson recorded a 3-for-3 game and Villalobos had a pair of hits.
The Knights return to action on Sunday at Central Connecticut. First pitch is at 1 p.m. in New Britain, Connecticut.
