NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team was swept in a doubleheader at Central Connecticut on Sunday afternoon in New Britain, Connecticut.
Fairleigh Dickinson (5-33, 1-13) fell 10-0 in game one in five innings and 8-0 in game two to Central Connecticut (15-24, 8-8 NEC). Central Connecticut's regular season is over and will wait and see if they qualify for the Northeast Conference Tournament.
Game 1: Central Connecticut 10, Fairleigh Dickinson 0 – 5 Innings
Central Connecticut started fast with a solo home run from Alexis Debrosse and the Blue Devils scored in every inning to get the shutout win.
The Blue Devils then scored four in the bottom of the second on three singles. Emily Cronin singled to second to score one, Brittany Camara singled to right to bring home two more and Brittany McNulla concluded the scoring with a RBI single to left.
Fairleigh Dickinson's best chance came in the top of the third inning. The Knights got three singles from
Holly Mercier,
Kassidy Neptune and
Reanna Cervantes to load the bases with one away. Unfortunately, the Knights would leave the bases loaded without scoring after a strikeout and a ground out that ended the frame.
In the bottom half of the frame, Central Connecticut added to its lead with three more runs. A double from McNulla scored two and a bases loaded walk from Tori Constantin made it 7-0 with two outs.
The final two runs for Central Connecticut from a two-run single off the bat from Camera in the fourth.
The Knights got a runner aboard in the top of the fifth to try and extend the game, but Mercier remained aboard after drawing a walk.
Those three singles in the third were the lone hits for the Knights in game one off Emily Sargent (8-17).
Erica Johnson (4-12) suffered the loss for Fairleigh Dickinson.
Game 2: Central Connecticut 8, Fairleigh Dickinson 0 – 6 Innings
Like in game one, Central Connecticut scored in the first inning. In game two it was three to take the early lead.
The first four hitters for the Blue Devils reached base. Brittany McNulla plated her third and fourth RBI of the day with a single to left field. Sara Oglive followed with a single to right that scored McNulla.
After a scoreless second,
Holly Mercier singled in the Knights' half of the third and then stole second – 4-for-4 on the year. Mercier moved over to third on a groundout before being left there after a strikeout.
Central would score twice in the bottom of the inning. The first run coming on an error and the second from a sacrifice fly.
Madison Emerson, who has two hits in game two, singled with two outs for the Knights in the top of the fourth with two outs. She was left there as the side was retired on a popout.
Tori Constantin doubled in the bottom of the inning to make it a 6-0 lead for the Blue Devils.
Neither side pushed any runs across in the fifth. Kaitlin Paterson delivered the walk-off-two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth when there were two outs.
Alex Casanas (5-3) went the full six innings for Central Connecticut and scattered six hits and struck out three. Emerson (0-8) went the full five and two-third for Fairleigh Dickinson.
Fairleigh Dickinson is next in action on Wednesday when Manhattan visits FDU Softball Field for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
