by Kimberly Pena & Brennah Dallaire
Game One
Central Connecticut States University’s Women’s Softball team failed to take off in the first of two games against Robert Morris at home on Sunday. The Colonials disproved the home field advantage after overpowering the Blue Devils in a 3-1 win.
The Colonials dominated the plate in the top of the first, scoring two runs. Robert Morris third baseman, Olivia Lorusso, homered to left center, scoring her first run of the game. Robert Morris shortstop Natalie Higgins followed up with a double to right center, sending Abrielle McCartney to score.
Lack of power at the plate made the game uneventful until the Colonials scored again in the top of the third inning. Higgins reached on a fielders choice, allowing Colonials second baseman Stacy Capp to score.
It wasn’t until it was too late, during the bottom of the seventh, that the Blue Devils made a scoring play. CCSU centerfielder Brittany Camara reached first on an error. Blue Devils third baseman Alicia Bertolini followed up with a single down the right field line, allowing Camara to advance to second. On a wild pitch, Bertolini advanced to second and Camara advanced to third. CCSU shortstop Alexis Debrosse singled to shortstop, allowing Camara to score.
CCSU pitcher Emily Sargent faced 28 batters and allowed only seven hits. Sargent allowed three runs, three earned runs and one homerun. She struck out four batters and sent only one batter to base on balls.
Roger Morris pitcher Kaitlin Ellzy faced 29 batters and allowed six hits. Ellzy allowed one run and sent four batters to base on balls. She struck out four batters.
Game Two
The Blue Devils softball team fell short of what would have been an uplifting comeback with a 5-4 loss in their second double-header game against Robert Morris University.
On a fielder’s choice, Taylor Bartlow scored the winning run in the final inning to claim victory for the Colonials. The Blue Devils dropped their record to 4-14 and 0-2 on North East Conference play.
RMU got off to a quick start in the first inning to support their starting pitcher, Laura Coulter. With Jordan Gurganus on base following an error by third baseman Sarah Ogilvie, Olivia Lorusso hit her first of two two-run jacks, giving the Colonials a 2-0 lead.
Central Connecticut State University had an opportunity to answer back in the bottom of the first, but with two runners on base and two outs, Ogilvie struck out.
Lorusso struck with Gurganus on base once again in the third inning, extending RMU’s lead 4-0 and giving Lorusso a game-leading four RBIs. CCSU starting pitcher Alex Casanas surrendered four runs, two earned, in four innings of work.
The Blue Devils remained quiet until the fifth inning, when they charged back with two runs of their own. Alexis Debrosse hit an RBI double, scoring Emily Cronin from first and Kerri Dadalski hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Debrosse, cutting the lead 4-2.
CCSU would eventually tie the game in the sixth inning. Kaitlin Patterson led off the inning with a double and would score on a single by Kaleigh Edwards. Edwards found her way to third on an error and a sacrifice bunt by Tori Constantin. Alicia Bertolino came in to pinch hit for Emily Cronin with a runner on third and one out. Coulter surrendered an RBI groundout, allowing the game to tie 4-4.
However, the Colonials answered with a run of their own in the seventh to grab the 5-4 lead off of reliever pitcher Emily Sargent. The Blue Devils bats would go quietly in the bottom of the inning against Kaitlin Ellzy, sealing the victory for the Colonials.
The Blue Devils will face off against Bryant University on a double-header Saturday, April 8. with the first pitch to be thrown at 1 p.m.