SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Victoria Cabral (New Britain, Conn./Miss Porter's School / Hofstra) led the University of New Haven softball team going a prefect 3-of-3 at the plate with three RBI while also earning the win in the circle to lead the Chargers to an 11-3 series opening victory at AIC on Friday afternoon. The win improves the Blue and Gold to 10-4 on the season and 2-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference.
Cabral's three hits were part of 16 total for the Chargers with all nine starters securing at least one hit, while her three RBI ties a career-high. Joining Cabral in leading the team with three hits was senior outfielder Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and freshman third baseman Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay). Palase's three hits came on four at bats, while she drove in one and Luzzi's three hits came in two at bats with an RBI and two runs scored.
Among the Chargers 16 hits were four extra base knocks, including a pair of doubles from Cabral. Luzzi joined her with one of her three hits for two bases, while senior shortstop Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) drilled her eighth career homerun. The long ball for Devlin came as a two run blast that was part of a five run third inning. In addition to Devlin driving in two runs, second baseman Gabby DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert Catholic) also drove in two runs one on a single in the second and another on a sacrifice fly in the third.
In the circle, Cabral pitched four innings and allowed one run on one hit and a pair of walks, while striking out three batters to earn her eighth victory of the season. Sophomore Alyssa Monteverde (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) pitched the final three innings in relief of Cabral, earning the save. Monteverde allowed two runs, both earned, on two hits and four walks. She also struck out a pair of batters.
Trailing 1-0 following the first inning, the Chargers opened their scoring in the top of the second inning erasing the deficit and taking a 2-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Cabral began what was a two-out rally with a double to center field for her first hit of the day. DeLeo followed that with a single that allowed Cabral to score, while Devlin reached safely on an error that extended the inning. With runners on the corners, Palase singled shortstop driving DeLeo home for the lead change.
New Haven blasted its lead open with four runs in the top of the third inning, starting things off right away with a single up the middle from Luzzi. After the first out was recorded, Luzzi advanced to second on a single from Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) and then a walk to Marissa Colby (Carlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) loaded the bases. Cabral responded by drilling her second hit to right field for two bases, driving in both Liptack and Luzzi. With a pair of runners in scoring position, DeLeo sacrificed herself on a fly ball to center that allowed Colby to score, while Devlin provided the muscle for the final two runs when she drove in Cabral with her first home run of the season.
The Blue and Gold kept the scoring going with two more runs in the fourth, building a 9-1 lead. Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) picked up the first RBI of the frame when she drove in Luzzi on a single to right after Luzzi reached on a double to right. Cabral would then sacrifice herself with the bases loaded and one out to push the second run across the plate in Schiebe.
AIC kept the game alive in its half of the fifth inning when they scored two more runs to cut the UNH lead to six, 9-3. The Chargers answered by adding two more runs in the top of the seventh inning with Luzzi and Schiebe picking up the RBI's.
New Haven and AIC continue the three-game series on Saturday with a double header that is slated for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch at Groff Field.
