Lynchburg, Va. (March 12, 2016) – The Sacred Heart softball team split their games on Saturday, both decisions coming in extra innings. The Pioneers fell in game one to Norfolk State before they evened their day out downing Liberty live on ESPN3.

In game one, the Pioneers lost in heart breaking fashion as they gave up a lead late in the game and couldn't recover in extra innings as they were defeated 7-6 by Norfolk State.

Game two led Sacred Heart to extra innings again only this time seeing the Pioneers coming out on top. After ending seven innings at 1-1 they went to eighth where SHU was able to put up two to Liberty's one in the eighth to pull out the win.

The Pioneers wrap up the Liberty Softball Classic tomorrow, when they play La Salle. First pitch is set for noon.

THE BASICS-

Score: Norfolk State 7 - Sacred Heart 6 (8 innings)

           Sacred Heart 3 - Liberty 2 (8 innings)

Location: Liberty University Tournament, Lynchburg, Va.

New Records: Sacred Heart- 5-11, Norfolk State- 4-7, Liberty University- 10-13

GAME 1: Sacred Heart vs. Norfolk State

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Victoria D'Addario (Lincoln Park, N.J.) led off the bottom half of the second with a double down the line before an error and two more hits led to three runs for SHU.
• Starting pitcher Kristen McCann (Phoenix, Ariz.) was pitching a gem of a game until the sixth when she ran into a little bit of trouble when she walked one, gave up three hits for two runs.
• Jamie Carlson (Corona, Calif.) came on in relief with one out in the seventh to close out the inning for Sacred Heart. 
• In the bottom of the seventh Hailey Desrosiers (Cypress, Calif.) got the Pioneers started with a lead off single before Kelyn Fillmore (Simi Valley, Calif.) double to the gap in left center and put them both in scoring position. Carlson helped herself out by hitting a sac fly and scoring Desrosiers while also moving Fillmore up to third.
• D'Addario came through in the clutch again with her bat as she then tied the game at six when she hit an RBI single
• The Spartans managed to score their placed runner on Whitney Williams' single to right field in the top of the eighth. the Pioneers were unable to answer in the bottom of the inning, going down in order

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Desrosiers and Fillmore led the Pioneers with three hits apiece
• D'Addario had two hits, a run scored and one RBI
• Desrosiers scored two runs and an RBI to go along with her three hits

FOR THE FOES:

• Kayla McNair led the Spartans with three walks, a triple, and two RBI's
• Megan Dunning scored two runs after drawing two walks
• Williams, Devon Bitler, and Stephanie Davenport led Norfolk State with two hits a piece

GAME 2: Sacred Heart vs. Liberty

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• In the bottom of the second, Liberty's Tori Zavodny tripled to center before scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Cassie Gingerich putting the Flames on the board first
• Nicole Deissler (Commack, N.Y.) drew a walk in the top of the third and scored on a Lauren Delgadillo (Ranco Cucamonga, Calif.) double to the right center gap to tie it at 1-1
• The game went to the eighth inning after neither team score again in the first seven. Once again it was Deissler and Delgadillo who teamed up for the game-winning run. With the senior placed on second, Delgadillo's bloop single to centerfield allowed her to scoreto make it 2-1
• Fillmore tacked on another run when she doubled to the right center gap to make it 3-1
• Mickey Loveridge singled home Alexia Taylor to make it 3-2 in the bottom of the inning, but that was all Liberty could get before Emily Orosoco (Camarillo, Calif.) shut the door on them to finish the game

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Delgadillo led SHU going 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored
• Orosco had a strong outing pitching a two-hit and two-run game while striking out six
• Delgadillo, Fillmore and D'Addario all had extra base hits for the Pioneers

FOR THE FOES:

• Loveridge and Zavodny had the only hits for the Flamer
• Zavodny had a triple for Liberty
• Freshman pitcher Julia DiMartino had thirteen strikeouts for Liberty