WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Freshman Meghan Butts pitched her third consecutive complete game victory as she led the New Haven Softball team (6-2 overall) to a 3-2 victory in game two of the day against Saint Thomas Aquinas. The Spartans took the victory in game one of the day by a 5-0 margin.

At the plate, a trio Chargers combined for three hits on the day with sophomore center fielder Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) leading the way as hers came in five at bats while she drove in one run. Joining her in leading the offense was senior Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) and freshman Cat Vaughn.

Devlin's three hits included a pair of extra base knocks, a double and a triple which was the first of the season for New Haven, while she drove in a run. Also among the leaders at the plate was junior catcher Erin Stever (Parish, N.Y./Altmar Parish Williamstown) who finished with a pair of hits including a pair of doubles.

Freshman pitcher Kylie Stonebraker (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High School) (1-2 on the season) suffered the loss in the opening game, giving up three runs, all earned, on nine hits over a combined five innings of work. She also struck out five batters to lead the staff on the day.  

Game One Highlights

·         New Haven threatened right out of the gate with Vaughn and Whitlock each reaching safely with singles, Vaughn's an infield hit and Whitlock driving hers into left field. The Spartans would work out of trouble after those two early hits with back-to-back strikeouts and a line drive to third.

·         The Spartans got on the board first plating three runs in the top half of the second inning. Overall, St. Thomas Aquinas scattered four hits in the frame. A single from catcher Amanda Leone was the final hit in the inning and the biggest for the Spartans as she drove in two of the three runs.

·         The Chargers next threat came in the fifth inning when Stever led off the bottom half of frame with a double to right field but would end up caught in a line drive double play that ended the inning.

·         New Haven would make one final charge at a comeback with a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh before the Spartans Julie Sosnicki struck out Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union) to record the shutout victory.

·         Leading the Chargers offense in the opening game was the top of the lineup as Vaughn and Whitlock each finished with a pair of hits combining for four of the seven total in the contest. Vaughn opened up the game with hits in her first two at bats, while Whitlock scattered her hits, both singles, over the first and fifth innings.

·         Rounding out the Chargers bats was Stever, Devlin and Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull). Both Devlin and Stever doubled for their hits, the only extra base hits in the game for the Chargers.

·         In the circle, Stonebraker suffered the loss, her second of the season. She combined for five complete innings of work, allowing three runs, all earned, on nine hits. Stonebraker also struck out four. Alyssa Monteverde (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) pitched a pair of middle innings for the Chargers, allowing two runs, both earned, on four hits.

Game Two Highlights

·         After giving up a single run in the top of the second to the Spartans, the Chargers offense kicked into gear scoring in back-to-back innings to take a 3-1 lead. The first run of the day for the home team came on a two-out rally as Stever kicked it off with a double to left field. Devlin followed with an RBI single to center as Stever beat the throw, sliding in safely on the outside of the plate.

·         In the third, the Chargers added two more runs to take their first lead of the day with both scoring on a single to left from Whitlock which led to an RBI and an error allowing the second run to score. Gabby DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert Catholic) led off the inning with a single to left and Vaughn followed with a fielder's choice as the throw to second sailed high and allowed both runners into scoring position at second and third. With both runners primed to score, Whitlock singled to left field which allowed DeLeo to score from third while an error in left allowed Vaughn to score from second.

·         Devlin continued her hot bat in game two in the fourth inning when she drilled the longest hit of the day into centerfield, wheeling out the Chargers first triple of the season. She would end up stranded at third as the Spartans worked out of the trouble.

·         In the nightcap, Devlin would finish with the only multi-hit game for the Chargers as combined for six total hits. Whitlock, Vaughn, Stever and DeLeo all finished with one hit, with Stever joining Devlin with an extra base hit as her lone hit was a double.

·         Butts closed out her third start of the year with her third complete game and her third victory of the season. Overall, Butts gave up two runs, both earned, on six hits and struck out two.

Next Up
New Haven is scheduled to return to action on Saturday when they host regional opponent NYIT for a doubleheader at the New Haven Softball Field. First pitch against the Bears is slated for 12:00 p.m.