LORETTO, Pa. - The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team was swept Monday afternoon against Saint Francis U by scores of 5-0 and 12-1. The losses moves the Knights overall record to 17-26 (8-8 NEC) on the season. The game marks the conclusion of the 2018 regular season schedule for FDU.
The Knights' eight conference wins are seven more than their 1-15 mark in 2017 and the most conference victories for the program since going 10-6 in 2015.
Game One: Saint Francis U 5, Fairleigh Dickinson 0
The first game between the Knights and Red Flash saw both squads combine for just eight hits on the afternoon, however SFU was able to take advantage at the plate, scoring all five runs off of home runs.
Taylor Hoover got the party started in the bottom of the first, belting a solo shot to left field to make it 1-0 for the Flash. One inning later, Madison Cabell followed suit, crushing a solo homer of her own to double the lead to 2-0.
The Knights had two on with two outs in the third after singles from Summer Mendoza and Logan Kolehmainen, however Madison Emerson grounded out to third to end the rally.
Hayley Norton made it 5-0 in the fifth with a three-run bomb to dead center field to blow the game open at 5-0 and secure the win for SFU.
Baylee Ports earned the loss in the circle for the Knights, moving her record to 9-9 on the season.
Game Two: Saint Francis U 12, Fairleigh Dickinson 1
Saint Francis overwhelmed the Knights with offense yet again in game two, going off for ten hits and 12 runs to down the Knights in five innings. The Red Flash kicked things off with a three-run, four-hit salvo in the bottom of the first inning to open up a considerable lead early against the Knights.
Norton singled up the middle to make it 1-0 before Hoover drove one to center field that scored two more.
The bulk of the damage was done in the second, however, as SFU pushed their lead to 12-0 after an explosive nine-run effort in frame two. Cabell's second homer of the day gave SFU the 7-0 lead before Kassidy Troxell belted a bomb of her own to make it 11-0.
The Knights recouped one run in the bottom of the fifth on a fielding error from Troxell, however the Flash still managed to cruise to a 12-1 win. Abby England, Mendoza, and Kolehmainen each recorded a hit for FDU on the afternoon.
