SHIRLEY, N.Y. – The University of New Haven softball team split a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader on the road against the Dowling Golden Lions, dropping the opener 5-2 before scoring an 11-3 victory in the nightcap. New Haven improves to 6-2 overall, while the Golden Lions stand at 4-8 following the day's action.

Leading the Chargers on the day was sophomore Heather Ferranti (Orange, Conn./Amity) who finished a perfect 3-of-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI. All of Ferranti's hits came in the second game of the day, while Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) led the Blue and Gold in the opening game. Liptack was one of three Chargers who finished with two hits, while also driving in two runs. She would also add a hit in the nightcap, finishing the day 3-of-5 at the dish.

In the circle, senior Victoria Cabral (New Britain, Conn./Miss Porter's School / Hofstra) collected both decisions, pitching a pair of innings in the opener, while going four innings in the second game. In the opener, she gave up three runs, one of which was earned, while in the nightcap, Cabral allowed three runs, all earned, on four hits. Classmate Nicole King (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) also pitched in both games, starting the opener and striking out seven batters in four innings of work.

Dowling struck first in game one scoring one run in the fourth inning. New Haven responded by putting its two runs on the board in the top of the fifth, taking its only lead of the game. Freshman Sierra Cardenales (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) began the rally with a leadoff single up the middle, followed by junior Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) who reached on a fielder's choice with the runner safe at second.

Following a pair of groundouts, that allowed the runners to advance into scoring position, Liptack drilled her first hit of the afternoon to right field, allowing both Erin Stever (Parish, N.Y./Altmar Parish Williamstown), who pinch ran for Cardenales, and Devlin to score.

After allowing two runs each in the bottom of the fifth and seventh, New Haven trailed by three heading into its final three outs. After a leadoff lineout, the Chargers loaded the bases thanks to three-straight singles from freshman Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge), Liptack and sophomore Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk). That brought freshman third baseman Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) to the plate, who grounded into a game-ending double play.

Overall for the opening game, Liptack led the Chargers with a pair of hits in three at bats which went along with a walk and her two RBI. Junior Gabby DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert Catholic) and Cardenales joined Liptack in laying down a pair of hits, while Whitlock, Schiebe and Luzzi all finished with one hit. As a team, New Haven finished with nine hits, all of which were singles.

In the circle, King started and pitched four innings allowing a pair of earned runs on five hits and gave up two walks. She also struck out seven. Cabral suffered the loss for the Chargers, pitching a pair of complete innings and allowing three runs, one of which was earned on two hits.

In game two, the Chargers were on fire from the start, getting on the board in the top of the first inning when Marissa Colby (Carlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. In the next frame, New Haven added nine more runs to take a 10-0 lead. Overall those nine runs came on eight hits with Luzzi, Colby and Ferranti all driving in runs on base hits, with Ferranti pushing a pair across the dish.

After allowing a pair of runs in the third inning, the Chargers got one back in the fourth inning when Devlin collected her second extra base hit of the game, a double to left field, that drove in Vanessa Strohm (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) who pinch ran for Ferranti after she led off the inning with a single to right center.

Overall, New Haven's 13 hits included four extra base hits with Devlin accounting for three of them. Devlin joined Ferranti in leading the bats, also finishing a perfect 3-of-3 at the plate with all three of his hits for extra bases, two doubled and a triple. She also drove in one run. Two other Chargers finished with multiple hits in the game with senior Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and Whitlock each smacking two hits. Palase joined Ferranti and Colby in driving in two runs, with seven different players collecting RBI's.

Cabral earned the victory in the circle for New Haven as she pitched four innings allowing three earned runs on four hits and three walks. She also struck out two. King would pitch the final inning for the Blue and Gold, striking out two of the four batters she faced.

New Haven will make its home field debut on Wednesday afternoon when they welcome the Post Eagles to West Haven for a double header. First pitch in the opening game is slated for 2:00 p.m.