BOX SCORE WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven softball used timely hitting and a gutsy pitching performance from Nicole King (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) to defeat rival Southern Connecticut State 8-7 in 11 innings.

New Haven improves to 14-3 overall and 6-1 in the conference with their sixth straight victory. The Owls drop to 7-9 overall and 0-3. Due to the length of the first game, the non-conference nightcap was postponed. No makeup date has been set.
 
It was a pitching duel through the first three innings, as neither team was able to plate a run. UNH finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth. Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) led off the inning with a walk, followed by a bunt single from Brandy Dianno (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy). Back-to-back RBI singles by Lindsey Couturier (Dighton, Mass./Dighton Rehoboth Regional) and Jess Spivey (Holland, Pa./Council Rock) gave the Blue and Gold a 2-0 lead.
 
The Owls were able to take advantage of two UNH errors in the fifth inning, scoring four to take a two-run lead.
 
The Chargers mounted a huge comeback in the seventh. Meghan Chamoff (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Herricks) and Devlin both walked to start the inning and Dianno sacrificed them over with a bunt. After a wild pitch scored Chamoff and moved Devlin to third, Couturier ripped a 3-2 pitch up the middle, driving in Devlin and tying the game at 4-4.

The contest went scoreless into the 10th inning where the International Tiebreaker was invoked. Devlin was placed on second and Dianno reached on a bunt single. Couturier hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Devlin. With Spivey at the plate, Dianno swiped second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Spivey drilled the 11th pitch she saw up the middle, giving UNH a 6-4 lead.
 
However, SCSU was able to erase the two-run deficit when they knotted up the game in the bottom of the 10th.
 
Tied at six apiece in the 11th, the Chargers again plated two runs. Courtney Reed (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) hit a deep fly out to right field, advancing the inherited runner Palase to third. Chamoff reached on an error by the second baseman, scoring Palase. With two outs, Chamoff stole second before Couturier drove in her third RBI of the game, giving UNH an 8-6 lead.
 
The Owls were able to score a run in the bottom of the 11th, but King got the final batter to fly out to centerfield and wrap up the game.
 
In the 192-pitch outing, King allowed three earned runs, while walking eight and striking out a pair. King moves to 8-1 on the season.
 
Couturier lead the Chargers offensively, going 2-5 at the plate with three RBI. Spivey also had two hits, driving in two. Dianno finished 3-5 at the plate and Devlin scored three runs for New Haven.

The Chargers are back in action Friday, March 28 as they host American International. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Due to tomorrow's weather forecast, fans are encouraged to log on to NewHavenChargers.com for updated schedule info before traveling to the UNH Softball Field.