STOCKTON, Calif. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team got off to a strong start against a ranked Boise State team but fell victim to a big rally late in the game to fall 9-2 to start the Louisville Slugger Tournament at University of the Pacific.
The Knights (4-8) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a two-RBI double by sophomore
Abby England in the second inning, but the Broncos (17-2), who have now won 14 straight games, rallied with nine straight runs, including seven in the sixth inning, to come from behind and win.
Senior
Reanna Cervantes led the Knights with a 2-for-3 day at the plate and scored a run on England's double. The Knights as a team, however, were held to just three hits and one walk in 25 at-bats.
After junior
Erica Johnson pitched her way out of a jam with two runners on base in the bottom of the first inning, Cervantes started the FDU half of the second inning with a single through the left side. Sophomore
Rylie Schmeh then hit a ball to center that allowed Cervantes to move to third, and Schmeh ran to second on the error. England then smacked her double into the right-center gap to plate the two Knight baserunners.
Senior
Holly Mercier extended the inning with a sacrifice bunt to move England to third, but the next two FDU batters grounded out to end the inning.
Johnson retired the Boise State side in order the next half inning, and the Knights put two more baserunners on in the third with a
Madison Emerson walk and a Cervantes single to center. Schmeh, however, lined out to the second baseman to end the threat.
The Broncos chipped away at the deficit with a solo home run in the bottom of the third and tied the game the following inning with a RBI double. Johnson then pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth to keep the game tied at 2-2, but the Broncos then rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning to go up 9-2 and retired three of the next four FDU batters in the seventh to hold on for the win.
Johnson struck out two batters while giving up nine hits and three runs in five-plus innings of work.
The Knights face host Pacific at 2:30 p.m., PST (5:30 p.m. EST) in their second game of the day. Check back here at fduknights.com for a box score and full recap following the game.
