CLERMONT, Fla. – The Fairleigh Dickinson picked up its first win of the 2018 season and split the second day of the Dot Richardson Invitational on Saturday.
Game 1 – Fairleigh Dickinson 9, UT Chattanooga 5
Fairleigh Dickinson had six different players drive in a run as the Knights got into the win column for the first time in 2018 against the Mocs of UT Chattanooga.
UT Chattanooga (0-4) got on the board first with a run in the second and the fourth.
Fairleigh Dickinson (1-2) took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Reanna Cervantes started things with a triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly from
Holly Mercier. The Knights then loaded the bases with a single, hit-by-pitch, and a walk.
Rylie Schmeh then worked a free pass to bring in
Summer Mendoza. The next hitter was
Serena Meehan, who also forced a walk, which brought in
Abbey England to make it 3-2.
Halie Williamson tied things at three for the Mocs with an RBI single in the top of the fifth.
Logan Kolehmainen drove in a run for the Knights with another walk to make it 4-3. England then knocked in her first two runs as a Knights with a single with the bases loaded and Fairleigh Dickinson led 6-3 in the fifth. A sacrifice fly from
Jaymee Jackson made it 7-3.
The Knights were not done in the fifth when
Madison Emerson stepped to the plate. Emerson put the ball in play towards second, and the Mocs could not make the play, which allowed Meehan and England to score. The Knights lead was then 9-3.
Chattanooga was not about to go quietly. The Mocs scored twice in the top of the seventh to make it a 9-5 ball game. The Mocs then loaded the bases with two outs. Morgan Kazerooni came to the plate looking to extend the game, but
Erica Johnson got Kazerooni to ground out to first to end the game.
Johnson picked up the save after coming in for
Baylee Ports.
Abbey England got her first start and win as a collegiate. The Washington product went five innings while allowing three runs on five hits.
Heidi Hall took the loss for the Mocs after allowing two earned runs (four runs) in one-third of an inning.
Game 2 – Detroit Mercy 9, Fairleigh Dickinson 8 (8 Innings)
Fairleigh Dickinson and Detroit Mercy combined for 17 runs, 21 hits, nine errors and played an inning of bonus softball before the Titans prevailed 9-8 in eight innings on Saturday night.
Detroit Mercy (2-2) scored two in the bottom of the eighth after Fairleigh Dickinson (1-3) scored in the top half of the frame. Jordan Manno delivered the walk-off double to center field that scored Kori Keyes. Maddy Scarsella scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at eight.
The Knights took an 8-7 lead in the top of eighth when
Madison Emerson walked,
Serena Meehan, who was placed at second, stole third, and
Reanna Cervantes walked to load the bases.
Holly Mercier then stepped to the plate and was hit by a pitch that forced in Meehan.
Fairleigh Dickinson would leave the bases loaded as the next three hitters were retired to end the frame.
This all came after the Titans tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a lead-off inside-the-park home run from Savvy Ferstle.
Cervantes had given the Knights a 7-6 lead in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI single to center field that plated Meehan. Emerson had tied the game earlier in the inning when she brought home
Jaymee Jackson with a single through the left side.
Both teams' offenses started fast as the first, second, and third innings all saw scoring from both sides. The game was tied at five after three full innings of play. Detroit Mercy took a 6-5 lead in the fourth before the Knights retook the lead in the fifth. There was then fur scoreless half innings before the bottom of the seventh.
Erica Johnson pitched all 7 1/3 innings for the Knights. The sophomore struck out eight while allowing seven earned runs.
Cervantes had two RBIs in game two of the day for the Knights. Meehan scored three times, and Jackson had two hits.
The Knights finished the Dot Richardson Invitational Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. against Morgan State.
