NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Fairleigh Dickinson softball (10-12, 4-1 NEC) put on quite the offensive show in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader against Merrimack as the Burgundy and Blue took the back-to-back games to open the series as the side looks for the sweep on Sunday, March 27. FDU has now won four Northeast Conference contests in a row.

With an early start time of game one due to the threat of inclement weather later in the day, FDU's bats were still not awake until the top of the third inning when junior Cassidy Triska, who's become a mainstay at shortstop, singled to her position. Triska would advance to second on an error by the Warriors' first baseman, though nothing would come of the heads-up baserunning. Moving ahead to the sixth frame, the rookie show continued for Chris Foye's squad as freshman Andreya Flores, the first game's designated player, hit a rocket of a single to center field, scoring the Knights' backstop, fellow rookie Sabrina Javorsky, in what would be the game-winning hit as FDU would hold-on to win game one, 1-0.

Senior Alayna Savaglio earned her fourth win of the season in the contest as the right-handed tosser recorded a season-best 12 strikeouts, allowing just two hits, no runs and just two walks having faced 25 batters in the complete game, her 11th start of the season.

It would be in the second game of the twin bill that FDU's bats would come alive as the Knights exploded for 11 runs on 13 hits with just one error in the field, crushing Merrimack 11-2, to clinch the series victory, the Knights' second of the season. "Sleeveless Javo" would record the only FDU hit in the opening frame, a single to centerfield, though it would be the following inning that proved the club's mettle. Junior Savannah Thornell rocked her second round-tripper of the season, a two-run blast to score Savaglio who took the role of DP in the game. In the following inning, it would be Triska who would homer, hitting a solo shot to give FDU a 3-0 lead over Merrimack. Triska's homer would lead to a pitching change for the home side who would go on to concede two additional runs that inning with thanks to another two-run home run by Flores, scoring DeWitt who had previously reached base safely via walk.

The fourth inning would provide much of the same story for the Knights as Javo booked an RBI double to the outfield, sending freshman Isabella Herring rounding third and into home safely, while the Ladera Ranch, Calif. native would score following a double to left by fellow west coast resident Flores to make it 7-1 FDU in front. Thornell walked with the bases juiced sending DeWitt home to score her second run of the ballgame.

In the fifth, senior Courtney Mahoney got the right jump to score on a passed ball to give FDU an eight-run cushion with a chance to end the game in five innings, though that would not be the case as Merrimack would tack-on their final run in the bottom half of the inning.

FDU would score two off a Javo double to right, scoring Triska and Mahoney to wrap-up the scoring bonanza and push the team to an 11-2 romp of Merrimack.

Julia Swan pitched a complete-game, allowing six hits and two runs on 31 batters faced while also recording three strikeouts. The freshman now sits 4-1 on the season with the decision.

"Two phenomenal wins today," exclaimed Foye. "The first game was a nail-biter to the end but Alayna pitched her best game of the season and Drey [Flores] had a big hit to put us on top. In the second game, Julia battled through seven innings and our bats came alive to put up an 11-spot. We are looking to carry this momentum over to tomorrow and head home with another win."

FDU closes-out the three-game set tomorrow, March 27, at 12 p.m. live on NEC Front Row.