NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sacred Heart University softball standout Alyssa Gonzalez hit the 50th home run of her illustrious career as the Pios split a road doubleheader at Yale on Wednesday afternoon. SHU took the opener by a 3-1 final score before dropping the nightcap 3-2. 

Team Records
Sacred Heart (17-21)
Yale (16-19)

Game 1: SHU 3, Yale 1
Pitchers:
Liv Vadas (SHU) - (4.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts)
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (W, 3.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 8-9 record)
Emma Taylor (Yale) - (5.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 7 strikeouts) 
Hannah Turner (Yale) - (L, 2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1 strikeout, 0-4 record) 

Top Performers:
Carly Koltko (SHU) – 1-3, 2 RBI
Alyssa Gonzalez (SHU) – 2-4, 1 RBI

Of Note:
The Pios scored the afternoon's first run in the top of the first inning. With two out and Emily Carroll on second after a steal, Alyssa Gonzalez gave SHU a 1-0 advantage with a single to center field. 

The Bulldogs answered in the home half of the first, evening the score at 1-1 with a leadoff homer from Carolyn Skotz. From there, Sacred Heart's starter Liv Vadas settled in and retired three out of the following four batters to keep the game deadlocked. 

Following the first, both teams' pitchers controlled the action by keeping the score tied at 1-1 until the top of the seventh. For SHU, Vadas finished with one earned run on six hits over 4.0 innings. Sam Kowalski entered in relief and earned the win, going 3.0 frames with one hit allowed and five strikeouts. 

The game was decided in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI single from Carly Koltko. After an error and a walk put two on with no outs, Emily Carroll laid down a perfect sac bunt to advance Victoria LoPinto and Jenna Mowad into scoring position. Koltko answered the call sending a single to center field to break the deadlock. 

Yale did not go down without a fight in the bottom of the seventh, putting two on with no outs. However, Kowalski withstood the pressure by retiring the next three batters to clinch the victory. 

Game 2: Yale 3, SHU 2
Pitchers:
Carly Koltko (SHU) - (3.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 3 strikeouts)
Carlie Williams (SHU) – (2.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 1.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 6-9 record)
Maddie Latta (Yale) - (5.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 2 strikeouts) 
Nicole Conway (Yale) - (W, 2.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 5-5 record)

Top Performers:
Alyssa Gonzalez (SHU) – 1-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, 1 home run
Carly Koltko (SHU) – 1-3, 1 run, 1 double 

Of Note:
The highlight of game two for the Pioneers came off the bat of Gonzalez, who hit her 50th career home run in the top of the sixth inning. The senior tied the game at 2-2 by plating Koltko on her 13th homer of the season. Gonzalez became the first player in Pioneers' history to hit 50 homers. 

Before Gonzalez's long ball, game two was a pitchers' duel. Koltko started in the circle, allowing two earned over 3.0 frames with three strikeouts. Carlie Williams came in next and went two innings without allowing a run. Emily Heath entered last and allowed one run. 

The Bulldogs owned a 2-0 lead heading into the sixth off RBI from Lauren Perren and Libby Peoples. 

Perren sealed the win for Yale in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer. 

Up Next
Following Wednesday's twin bill, the Pioneers will head to Staten Island, N.Y., for a trio of games against Wagner. SHU is slated to play a single game on Friday, Apr. 21, at 3 p.m. and a doubleheader the next afternoon at 1 p.m.