BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 CLERMONT, Fla. - The University of New Haven softball team concluded its 2012 spring break trip to the National Training Center Spring Games on Thursday with a two-game split. In their first game of the day, the Chargers defeated West Chester University 8-6, but suffered a 3-5 loss to Mercy College in the final game of the trip. With the split, New Haven moved to 4-4 on the season. West Chester fell to 11-9 with the loss and Mercy improved to 5-4.

Game One
In the first inning, West Chester took the early lead scoring five runs on five hits off of junior pitcher Alana Wesche (Oxford, Conn./Naugatuck).  The Golden Rams increased their lead to 5-0 after tallying 3 RBI when they homered.  In the second inning, the Rams pushed one more run across the plate on two passed balls. 

Junior Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ) led the Charger offense in an 8-6 win against West Chester University going 4-4 at the plate.  In the fifth inning the Chargers earned their first run of the game when Brandy Dianno (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) singled through the left side, advancing to second off a stolen base.  Lindsey Courturier drove in the run when she also singled in the inning. 

New Haven held the Rams for the remainder of the game, rallying in the sixth inning to put seven runs up on the board.  Senior Amy Nepi (New Castle, Del./St. Elizabeth ) led the charge when she doubled to left center.  Christina Gelardi (Derby, Conn./Derby) also added a double, scoring Dianno and advancing Courturier to third, who previously singled in the inning.  Courturier scored when freshman Jessica Spivey singled through the left side.  The Chargers scored their final runs of the game when Erika Williams (Oneida, N.Y./Oneida) collected two RBI on a single to centerfield.

Alana Wesche (Oxford, Conn./Naugatuck) pitched all seven innings collecting the win for New Haven.  She faced 37 batters and gave up 11 hits, giving up six runs and striking out four.  She improved her record to 3-2.

Game Two
The Chargers were unable to come back from the five run lead Mercy gained in the first two innings.  The Mavericks scored two runs in the first innings off of three hits and continued to increase their lead in the second inning.  Mercy scored three more runs off of four hits and an error committed by the Charger defense.

New Haven pushed a run across the plate in the fifth inning when Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ) led off with a single to right field.  She advanced to second when Shannon Angehr (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue ) collected a walk and scored after Amy Nepi (New Castle, Del./St. Elizabeth ) singled to right field.  The Chargers collected two more runs in the sixth inning.  Brandy Dianno (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) tripled through the left side, scoring when Courturier drove her in on a single.  They gained their second RBI when Angehr singled, scoring Weidman who was the pinch runner for Brooke Fisher (Erial, N.J./Camden Catholic) who reached first on a single.

Kelsey Malloy (Clarksburg, Mass./Drury) was given the loss after pitching six full innings for the Chargers.  She faced 30 batters, gave up five hits and struck out two.  She fell to 1-2 on the season.

New Haven returns to West Haven for its home opener on Saturday, March 17 against Georgian Court University. Game time at the UNH Softball Field is set for 12 p.m. (noon). Stay posted to www.NewHavenChargers.com for complete coverage, including links to live statistics.