FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team suffered a pair of losses in a midweek doubleheader against Yale at Pioneer Park Wednesday. SHU dropped the opener 12-3 in five innings before almost coming back in a 6-4 setback in the nightcap. 

Team Records
Sacred Heart (10-17)
Yale (10-18)

Game 1 Yale 12, SHU 3 (5 inn.)
Pitchers:
Carly Koltko (SHU) - (L, 1.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 0-2 record)
Genevieve Gleason (SHU) - (2.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs)
Jenna Pfister (SHU) - (2.0 innings pitched, 0 earned run)
Emma Taylor (Yale) - (W, 3.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 2 strikeouts, 7-6 record) 
Meredith Henderson (Yale) - (2.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 1 strikeouts)

Top Performers:
Victoria LoPinto (SHU) – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 RBI
Morgan Teodosio (SHU) – 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
 
Of Note:
The Pioneers found themselves in a 6-0 deficit early in the first inning of game one following some stellar hitting by the Bulldogs. Yale tallied six runs on four hits, also taking advantage of an error to build the early lead. 

However, it did not take SHU long to retaliate, as Victoria LoPinto led off the home half of the first with a solo homer to right field. With a 1-1 count, LoPinto blasted a moon shot over the fence for her team-leading third homer of the season. 

Unfortunately for Sacred Heart, LoPinto's blast was the team's lone run until the fourth inning, as the Bulldogs' lead grew to 12-1. 

In the fourth, the Pios led off the frame with back-to-back singles before Cierra Bender tallied a two-run, two-out single up the middle to cut the margin to 12-3. 

The Bulldogs were able to get the final out in the fourth and end the game with a scoreless fifth, taking the opener 12-3. 

Game 2: Yale 6, SHU 4
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 4.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 5-7 record)  
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (3.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 3 strikeouts)
Hannah Turner (Yale) - (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2-4 record)
Meredith Henderson (Yale) - (2.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs)

Top Performers:
Jenna Mowad (SHU) – 2-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 double
Nicole Henke (SHU) – 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 home run

Of Note:
The second game started off much tighter, as the score sat scoreless through the first three innings. The pitchers were cruising, with both teams having just one hit to their names through three. 

For the second consecutive game, Yale got on the scoreboard first, hanging three runs on the Pioneers in the top of the fourth. 

SHU was ready with a quick answer with two runs in the fifth. Nicole Henke tallied the first run on her first homer as a sophomore. She sent a 1-0 pitch into orbit over the left field fence. LoPinto continued her stellar day win an RBI single that plated Jenna Mowad. 

After the Bulldogs added three runs to their total in the sixth and seventh, SHU started another comeback attempt while trailing 6-2. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Mowad, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, plated Morgan Teodosio with an RBI single. Two at-bats later, Bender cut the margin to two with a two-out RBI single to left. Emily Carroll was up next and slammed a double to left, putting runners on second and third for SHU. Unfortunately, a foul out to right ended the game, as the Pios were handed a 6-4 loss. 

Up Next
The Pioneers will welcome Stonehill for a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader on Friday, March 29. The first game of the series is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.