BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The University of New Haven softball team dropped a pair of Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division games to nationally ranked No. 13 Adelphi University Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers won game one 3-2 and game two 5-3. The nightcap was called midway through the sixth inning due to darkness.

With the two losses, the Chargers fell to 26-10 overall and 8-5 in the NE-10 Southwest Division. The Panthers improved to 30-9 overall and 12-2 in divisional play.

Game One
In the opening game, the only inning with runs scored was the fourth. The Panthers scored three runs off four hits in the top of the inning. A pair of doubles proved to be the difference maker as Adelphi took a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Keri Tricinelli (Brick, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) started a Charger rally with a two-out double to right center. Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ) then singled to center and put the tying run a the plate for UNH. Brooke Fisher (Erial, N.J./Camden Catholic) then walked and loaded the bases for Courtney Reed (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell). The Chargers then scored two runs off an error by the shortstop. A ground out ended the inning with Adelphi ahead 3-2.

Both teams then went scoreless through the final three innings, and the Panthers sealed a one-run victory by retiring the Chargers in each of the final three innings.

Tricinelli, Fisher, Francisco and Meghan Chamoff (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Herricks) each tallied one hit in the game. In the circle, Micah Stonesifer (Archer City, Texas/Archer City / Vernon College) suffered the loss. She threw the complete game allowing seven hits and striking out seven.

Game Two
The Panthers opened the second game with one run in the top of the first to take an early lead. UNH left three runners on base in the bottom of the first inning, but turned in two runs in the bottom of the second. Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and Lindsey Couturier (Dighton, Mass./Dighton Rehoboth Regional) each hit sacrifice flies in the inning to put the Chargers ahead 2-1.

The third inning went scoreless, while the Chargers added one in the bottom of the fourth to take a two-run lead, 3-1. Couturier tabbed her second sacrifice fly and scored Brandy Dianno (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) for New Haven's largest lead of the afternoon.

The Panthers immediately answered in the top of the fifth inning with four runs off three hits to take a 5-3 lead. New Haven falled to cross another run in the bottom of the fifth or the bottom of the sixth before the game was called and the Panthers took a two-run victory. Adelphi left two runners on base in the top of the sixth and then UNH took the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch hitter Brittany Scott (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional) singled to center field to lead off the inning, but the game was then called due to darkness.

Nicole King (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) suffered the loss in game two for UNH. The Front Royal, Va. native threw five innings with four strikeouts and seven hits.

At the plate, Couturier went 1-for-1 with two RBI and Palase went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Dianno added a perfect 1-for-1 with 2 runs scored.

New Haven returns to action on Thursday, April 18 when it hosts Southern Connecticut State University at the UNH Softball Field in another NE-10 Southwest Divisional doubleheader. Opening pitch is set for 3 p.m. in West Haven.