NORFOLK, VA. – FDU softball dropped a doubleheader to North Dakota and Holy Cross in the opening day of the Spartan Round Up on Friday.
FDU started off the tournament by facing North Dakota on Friday morning. The Knights sent out
MaryJane Limon to the circle, who looked to built off a dominant complete game performance in her last time out against George Mason. Limon got some early run support, thanks to
Dimitra Milonopoulos. The sophomore hit a two-run single in the second inning to get the Knights on the board 2-0. After Milonopoulos base knock, Limon began to settle in. The Knights' starter blanked the North Dakota bats, taking a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning. Limon got two quick outs in the seventh; then North Dakota began to rally down to their last out. The Fighting Hawks worked a walk against Limon, and then hit two straight singles to load up the bases. Then, Katelyn Neumayer laced a bases-clearing double, scoring the winning run from first and defeating the Knights in walk-off fashion.
The Knights faced off against Holy Cross in game two on Friday. FDU was faced with some impressive pitching, as the Crusaders' Sophia Ronco neutralized the Knights' offense. Ronco pitched a complete game shutout, holding the Knights to just two hits across seven innings. FDU was able to hang around in the early stages thanks to some impressive pitching from freshman
Katie Simonka. Simonka held Holy Cross to just three runs across the first five innings, keeping FDU within striking distance. The freshman struck out five batters in her Friday outing. As FDU was unable to get the offense going, Holy Cross added on a few more insurance runs late, chasing Simonka from the game. The Knights fell 6-0 at the end of seven.
FDU will participate in day two of the Spartan Round Up on Saturday. The Knights will re-match with North Dakota at 12 p.m, before facing the hosts in Norfolk State at 2 p.m.
