STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team (0-2) dropped its first two games of the season, falling 9-0 in game one and 8-0 in game two to Stony Brook (11-5) on Thursday afternoon from University Field. This marked FDU's first set of games since March 11, 2020.
In game one, graduate student
Madison Emerson drew a pair of walks and got hits from sophomore
Savannah Thornell and junior
Riley De Laval. The Knights left five runners on base and drew four walks as well.
In game two, junior
Alayna Savaglio pitched five innings, allowed four runs, and struck out seven batters. Emerson reached base all three times she batted with a pair of singles and a walk.
Coach Foye's Thoughts
"It was a great feeling to be back on the field with the team after such a long layoff," stated coach Foye. "We didn't get the results we were looking for but we worked hard and battled."
"We had some great performances by Maddie who has picked up where she left off last year on the offensive side of the ball and Alayna was unbelievable for us on the mound in our 2nd game. She had Stony Brook off balance for her 5 innings of work and she will only get better as the season goes on."
"We have some work to do but I am confident that we will be better this weekend vs LIU who is one of the top teams in our conference."
Game 1: Stony Brook 9, FDU 0 (F/5)
How it Happened
- Emerson was the first baserunner of the season as she drew an 11 pitch walk in the first inning before being left on first and in the bottom of the inning, junior Courtney Mahoney got the nod on the mound for FDU, but Stony Brook scored four runs of their own in the bottom of the first to take a 4-0 lead, sparked by a two RBI single from Lindsey Osmer.
- The Seawolves added another run to their lead in the second inning and sophomore Malori Bell then took the ball in the bottom of the third and Stony Brook scored four runs and loaded the bases before Bell stuck out Jordyn Nowakowski and got Riley Craig to fly out to end the third.
- FDU strung together some baserunners in the fourth inning when Emerson drew another walk, sophomore Savannah Thornell recorded the first hit of the year for FDU with a hit through the left side of the infield, and senior Rylie Schmeh also drew a walk to load the bases with one out, but Stony Brook's Dawn Bodrug forced sophomore Lauren Luna to ground into a double play to end the top of the fourth.
- Freshman Riley Jones then made her collegiate debut in the bottom of the fourth and allowed no runs and in the top of the fifth, junior Riley De Laval singled, but Bodrug retired junior Samantha Cortez to end game one.
Game Two: Stony Brook 8, FDU 0 (F/6)
How it Happened
- Emerson picked up where she left off in game one and reached first base on an infield single and Thornell also reach base on an error with two outs, but Shlebi Denman struck out Savaglio to end the top of the first.
- Savaglio then took the hill for the Knights in the bottom of the first and struck out two of the first three batters she faced, but the Seawolves scored three runs in the frame sparked by a Craig two RBI double to left center.
- Savaglio then settled in and allowed no hits, while striking out the side in the third inning, but FDU's offense had six up and six sent down between the second and third inning.
- Emerson reached base for the fourth time in two games in the top of the fourth with a single up the middle and reached third base off a wild pitch and advanced on a ground out from Savaglio, but Schmeh flew out to left to end the inning.
- Savaglio then completed her third straight shutout inning as she struck out two more batters and forced a ground out as the Knights still trailed 3-0 after four innings.
- Freshman Megan Berg reached first base for the first time in her career in the top of the fifth and advanced to second base on an error before De Laval was hit by a pitch to get runners on first and second with two outs, but graduate student Summer Mendoza fouled out to left.
- The Seawolves added a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI triple from Nicole McCarvill to push the lead to 4-0, but Emerson reached base for the third time in the top of the sixth before Denman retired the side.
- Graduate student Erica Johnson made her season debut on the mound after relieving Savaglio in the bottom of the sixth, but Stony Brook added four runs and ended the game.
What's Next
FDU will start NEC play with a four-game series against LIU, beginning with a 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. double header on Saturday afternoon from the LIU Softball Complex.
