Softball splits with Central Connecticut
5/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 4, 2005
FAIRFIELD, CT (May 4) - The Sacred Heart Pioneers (15-21, 8-8 NEC) and the Central Connecticut Blue Devils (14-29, 10-8) split a pair of Northeast Conference softball games at Pioneer Park in Fairfield, CT on Wednesday afternoon. The Pioneers took game one 10-7, and Central took the nightcap 7-5.
Game one was a slugfest featuring a combined 17 runs on 24 hits with three errors. The Blue Devils would jump on top early scoring three times in the top of the opening frame. Deb Munson (Windsor Locks, CT) and Pam Shifrin (Townsend, MD) both had RBI singles and Alison Rossi (Naugatuck, CT) drove in another on a sacrifice fly. The Pioneers would scratch a pair of runs across in the bottom of the third inning, to close the lead to 3-2.
Central added a run in the top of the fifth before the Pioneers exploded in the bottom of the inning for five runs highlighted by RBI hits by Brittany Uno, (Winnetka, CA), Jacqui Riley (Burlington, MA) and Dana Jusino (Rutherford, NJ). The Pioneers also scored twice on a pair of errors by the left side of the CCSU infield. The five run stanza game the Pioneers a 7-4 lead.
Central wouldn't go quietly, as they posted three more runs in the top of the sixth to knot the game a 7-7. After inducing a 5-3 ground out, SHU pitcher Bethany Lemenager (New Bedford, MA) ran into trouble as she allowed three runs on five consecutive hits before giving way to Chrissy DeMott (Levittown, NY). DeMott would retire the final two batters in the inning to keep SHU in the game.
The Pioneers answered in the bottom of the inning with three of their own. A run scoring double by Tiffanie Cross-Monzo (Thousand Oaks, CA) and a two run shot by Riley gave the Pioneers a 10-7 lead. DeMott, now with a three run lead, sent the side down in order to preserve the victory.
The two teams traded first inning runs in game two, before SHU's Melissa Mezzanotte (North Haven, CT) gave SHU a 5-1 lead on a second inning grand slam. CCSU, however, would crawl back into the game, putting up a pair of runs on a Shifrin opposite field tater in the third, before taking the lead with three runs in the fourth. This was good enough for Central pitcher Erin Monroe (Upland, CA) who allowed just two more hits before being replaced in the sixth after the Blue Devils tacked on an insurance run. Samantha Keltos (Shelton, CT) came in for Monroe and got the final six outs to pick up the save.
The Pioneers return to action on Saturday, May 7th, when they travel to take on Robert Morris in Moon Township, PA.
