GREENVILLE, N.C. - In beautiful 78 degree weather, the Fairleigh Dickinson softball time (1-6, 0-0 NEC) took on Gardner-Webb and East Carolina on the first day of the three-day Pirate Invitational, hosted by ECU at Max R. Joyner Field. FDU took GWU the distance in a thrilling eight-inning battle that was ultimately won by the Running Bulldogs 6-5 and later fell to the host Pirates in a six-inning contest, 9-1.

Gardner-Webb Recap

With both pitchers carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning, neither side would get on the board until Gardner-Webb struck for an unearned run in the bottom half of the aforementioned frame. The Running Bulldogs would strike again in the following inning, going up two runs on Knights' starter senior Alayna Savaglio. Down to their final at bats in the seventh FDU would rally for four runs starting with freshman Sabrina Javorsky who would double to left center field, plating home junior Cassidy Triska and moving sophomore Megan Berg down to third, making it a one-run ballgame. With senior Courtney Mahoney at the plate, the Allenwood, N.J. native hit a rocket to center for an extra base hit with rookie Isabella Herring and sophomore Riley Phillips rounding the bases to take a 3-2 lead over GWU. Keeping the two-out rally going, freshman Andreya Flores stepped into the box for a single down the left side of the infield, putting senior Riley De Laval into scoring position and scoring Mahoney to push the Knights' lead to 4-2. In the bottom half of the inning, GWU would put up two runs to again tie the game and push it to an extra inning. With Triska at the plate, the 5'6 shortstop shined in the pivotal moment hitting a double to left centerfield which was enough to score reigning NEC Rookie of the Week Jess DeWitt and break the draw to put FDU up 5-4. FDU would allow two runs in the bottom of the eighth and fall to the Running Bulldogs 6-5 in the first game of the afternoon.

East Carolina Recap

FDU was unable to overcome allowing a three-run lead in the home half of the first to the ECU Pirates would fall in a 9-1 contest in six innings. Triska would be the hero in the top of the second with an RBI single to make it a 3-1 ballgame, scoring Salter but the run would be the only scored by the Knights as the Pirates would score again in the bottom of the second and explode for four runs in the home half of the sixth to secure their fifth victory of the season.

Chris Foye and the Knights continue play in the Pirate Invitational with two games set for Saturday, February 26, as the Knights take on BIG EAST club Villanova at 12:30 p.m. and battle the Pirates for the second and final time at 5:30 p.m. The event concludes tomorrow, February 27, with a 10 a.m. bout against the Wildcats before FDU heads back to Jersey and looks ahead to the home opener on Wednesday, March 2, against Columbia live on NEC Front Row.

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