Wednesday, March 25
Fairfield, CT
2:00 PM
Sacred Heart
10-17
2
vs
0
Yale
8-16
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Yale
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
Sacred Heart
0
0
0
1
1
0
X
2
9
0
Photo by: Daniel Boye
Davis Walk Off Homer Seals Home Sweep of Yale
3/25/2026 7:50:00 PM | Softball
Kowalski dominated game one with a two-hit, complete-game win
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team swept Yale in a home doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Pioneer Park, claiming 2-0 and 3-2 victories. Sam Kowalski dominated the first game in the circle by allowing just two hits, while Charlene Davis ended the nightcap with a walk-off home run.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (11-17)
Yale (8-17)
Game 1: SHU 2, Yale 0
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 3 strikeouts, 8-7 record)
Sienna Reynolds (Yale) – (L, 4.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1 strikeout, 1-1 record)
Ellie Joseph (Yale) – (2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts)
Top Performers:
Sam Kowalski - 3-3, 1 RBI, 1 double
Nicole Henke - 2-3, 1 run scored, 1 double
How It Happened:
Today's starting pitchers controlled the action until the bottom of the fourth inning, with SHU breaking through for the game's first run. Nicole Henke sandwiched a double between outs to start the inning, while a single from Katherine Burras put runners on the corners. Ava Lichtenberger then stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and drove home Henke to make it 1-0 SHU.
The Pios made it 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of another extra-base hit. Cierra Bender was hit by a pitch as the leadoff hitter before Kowalski slammed a double to left center, plating the speedy Bender.
Kowalski allowed just two hits in a complete-game win, striking out three for her sixth conference victory. Kowalski finished with more RBIs than runs allowed in the win.
Game 2: SHU 3, Yale 2
Pitchers:
Emily Campion (SHU) – (3.2 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)
Emily Heath (SHU) – (W, 3.1 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 2-8 record)
Emma Taylor (Yale) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 4-6 record)
Top Performers:
Charlene Davis – 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
How it Happened:
SHU led 1-0 in the first, when Elle Leckrone scored from second after a throwing error by the third baseman.
Sacred Heart made it 2-0 in the third. After a hit-by-pitch and two singles, pinch-runner Emily Campion scored on Nicole Henke's RBI single to left.
Unfortunately for the Pios, Yale scored two runs in the top of the fourth to even the game at 2-2.
The next 3.0 innings went scoreless, as SHU entered the bottom of the seventh with a chance to end the game. The Pioneers wasted no time doing just that, as Davis smacked a walk-off homer to left center field to lead off the inning, securing a SHU a 3-2 victory.
Campion and Emily Heath split pitching responsibilities for the Pioneers, with Campion going 3.2 innings and Heath 3.1. Heath earned the victory by not allowing a run over her outing.
Notes:
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the road this weekend for a MAAC series at Niagara, beginning with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (11-17)
Yale (8-17)
Game 1: SHU 2, Yale 0
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 3 strikeouts, 8-7 record)
Sienna Reynolds (Yale) – (L, 4.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1 strikeout, 1-1 record)
Ellie Joseph (Yale) – (2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts)
Top Performers:
Sam Kowalski - 3-3, 1 RBI, 1 double
Nicole Henke - 2-3, 1 run scored, 1 double
How It Happened:
Today's starting pitchers controlled the action until the bottom of the fourth inning, with SHU breaking through for the game's first run. Nicole Henke sandwiched a double between outs to start the inning, while a single from Katherine Burras put runners on the corners. Ava Lichtenberger then stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and drove home Henke to make it 1-0 SHU.
The Pios made it 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of another extra-base hit. Cierra Bender was hit by a pitch as the leadoff hitter before Kowalski slammed a double to left center, plating the speedy Bender.
Kowalski allowed just two hits in a complete-game win, striking out three for her sixth conference victory. Kowalski finished with more RBIs than runs allowed in the win.
Game 2: SHU 3, Yale 2
Pitchers:
Emily Campion (SHU) – (3.2 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)
Emily Heath (SHU) – (W, 3.1 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 2-8 record)
Emma Taylor (Yale) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 4-6 record)
Top Performers:
Charlene Davis – 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 home run
How it Happened:
SHU led 1-0 in the first, when Elle Leckrone scored from second after a throwing error by the third baseman.
Sacred Heart made it 2-0 in the third. After a hit-by-pitch and two singles, pinch-runner Emily Campion scored on Nicole Henke's RBI single to left.
Unfortunately for the Pios, Yale scored two runs in the top of the fourth to even the game at 2-2.
The next 3.0 innings went scoreless, as SHU entered the bottom of the seventh with a chance to end the game. The Pioneers wasted no time doing just that, as Davis smacked a walk-off homer to left center field to lead off the inning, securing a SHU a 3-2 victory.
Campion and Emily Heath split pitching responsibilities for the Pioneers, with Campion going 3.2 innings and Heath 3.1. Heath earned the victory by not allowing a run over her outing.
Notes:
- Sacred Heart had not hit a walk-off homer at home since 2017.
- The Pioneers tallied their second doubleheader sweep of the season.
- Davis's walk-off homer is SHU's second of the season, as Kowalski hit one in the Pios' first win.
- Davis hit her second home run of the year.
- Heath won her second game of the season.
- Kowalski won her eighth game of the year.
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the road this weekend for a MAAC series at Niagara, beginning with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kowalski, Sam (8-7)
L: Sienna Reynolds (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Jane Littleton 1
Base Running:
SB: Ella Gandolfo 1
CS: Demi Donahoe 1
Batting:
2B: Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
RBI: Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Lichtenberger, Ava 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bender, Cierra 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
SB: Dwyer, Teagan 1
HBP: Bender, Cierra 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballP/INF
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballSaige Harper Paris 2024
Tuesday, April 16
Behind the Boards (MIH): Season 2, Episode 13
Friday, March 08
Behind the Boards (WIH): Season 2, Episode 14
Friday, February 23
Behind the Boards (MIH): Season 2, Episode 12
Friday, February 16
