FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team wrapped up its 2017 season with a pair of 3-0 setbacks at Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon.
The Knights finish the season at 5-37 overall and 1-15 in NEC play. Sacred Heart finishes at 22-26 overall and 10-8 in NEC and will compete in the NEC Tournament next weekend at Saint Francis U.
Game 1: Sacred Heart 3, Fairleigh Dickinson 0
Runs were at a premium all day between the Knights and the Pioneers as the teams combined for seven in game one – five for Sacred Heart and two for the Knights.
Erica Johnson – Fairleigh Dickinson's starter – did not allow a hit over the first two innings but had to work out of trouble with four walks. The freshman stranded all four runners to keep the game scoreless.
Johnson then retired the first two batters of the third before three straight two-out hits to score the first run of the game. The third hit came from Kristen McCann that scored Victoria D'Addario.
Serena Meehan got the Knights' first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth with two outs but was stranded at first.
Cheryl Lopez would get the Knights' second and final hit of the day in the fifth, but Lopez was doubled off first on a line out from
Madison Emerson.
The Pioneers tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth. An error and a single put runners on first and second for Lauren Delgadillo, who brought home Dubbioso with a single. A sacrifice fly from Hailey Desrosiers got Andrea Sidor across to make it 3-0.
Jamie Carlson pitched a complete game two-hitter for the Pioneer to pick up her 12th win of the season. Johnson fell to 4-13 with the loss after allowing the one run over three innings.
Baylee Ports pitched the final four for the Knights in relief.
Game 2: Sacred Heart 3, Fairleigh Dickinson 0
Sacred Heart needed to only score in one inning – the fourth – to hold the Knights in game two.
The Pioneers started the fourth single, triple, single to take a 2-0 lead. Lauren Delgadillo tripled and would come around to score. The third run came as the
Summer Mendoza and
Kellie Natham a double play to get the first two outs of the inning.
Fairleigh Dickinson would get runners on in the first and second innings but would leave
Reanna Cervantes, who walked in the first, and
Cheryl Lopez, who singled in the second, stranded.
Natham got one of her two hits in the fourth with two away – 11th multi-hit game of the season. Lopez followed but grounded out to end the frame. Natham would then double in the seventh with one out but was left at second when the game ended.
Kristen McCann improved to 8-11 with the complete game shutout.
Madison Emerson went the distance for the Knights and fell to 0-9 despite allowing only three runs – two earned – while scattering five hits.
