CCSU hosted Saint Francis University for a three-game series this weekend. SFU is currently first in the NEC and undefeated in conference play.
Right off the bat, SFU put up four runs in the first inning to take an early lead in game one of the doubleheader.
Central scored their only run in the second inning when Jazmin Lasane brought in Brooke Fedison with the help of an error.
Kaylee Whittaker managed the early storm well and would come back to hold SFU scoreless for the next five innings. It wasn’t until the seventh inning that SFU put up two insurance runs to extend their lead.
Whittaker gave up six hits and five runs with four strikeouts, resulting in a 6-1 final score.
In game two, freshman Liz Hamilton pitched. She held SFU to two runs on six hits.
SFU scored in the third and the seventh innings. Central struggled in the box throughout the game, only getting three hits.
The final score was 2-0.
Now, a day later, for game three, SFU, once again, came ready. They would start the game with 11 runs.
Adrianna Green started the game as the pitcher, and coach Breanne Gleason said that was the plan for this game.
“She has been throwing really well,” Gleason said. “She’s been able to hit her spots the past couple games, so we were going to pitch her, but it didn’t go as planned. She is phenomenal, especially for a freshman. If I had to do it all over again, I would put her right back out there.”
Green struggled to find the strike zone and walked six batters. Hamilton was called into the game in the first inning to take over. Before getting Central out of the inning, SFU scored another run on Hamilton.
The onslaught continued into the second inning with a three-run homer from SFU. Then, in the third inning, they batted in two more runs.
Central would get on the board with an RBI from Ava Cino, bringing in Reagan Vunak.
Hamilton was able to get out of the fourth and fifth innings without any runs given up.
“I thought Liz did well,” Gleason said. “They are a good team, and they kept their foot on the gas pedal, but I thought Liz did a good job of getting us out of some tough spots and putting up a zero.”
The final score was 16-1, and the game ended in five innings.
Central softball plays Thursday at Siena College for a doubleheader and then at Wagner for a conference series.
“Thursday, we are going to look to get our heads back on straight,” Gleason said. “In the big picture, we still have a ton of NEC games, still a long road ahead. We are just looking at the Wagner series, not trying to get too far ahead of us.”
