WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 23 New Haven softball team swept a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader from the Southern Connecticut State University Owls on Thursday afternoon, claiming both games by a 6-2 final.
The first game was the completion of a suspended game from April 19 that was through two innings before rain halted proceedings with the Chargers leading 5-1. After the Owls scored in the third, New Haven plated a fourth inning run to cap the scoring in the contest. Kylie Stonebraker (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High School) struck out eight in the complete game effort.
In the second game, Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) was on point through the first six innings, allowing just one hit. Leading 1-0, New Haven struck for four runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth before SCSU got their pair in the seventh. Overall, Butts pitched her 16th complete game of the season, improving to 17-5 on the year.
Overall in the two games, Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) led New Haven at the plate with four hits. Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk), Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge), Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) and Samantha Errera (Sweetwater, N.J./Cedar Creek) each had two with Vaughan and Marissa Colby (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) both knocking in a pair of runs.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Chargers struck for two runs in the first as Vaughan singled and stole second before scoring when Whitlock reached and moved to second on an error. After she stole third, Colby drove her home with a sac fly.
- After the Owls got a run in the bottom of the first, New Haven struck for three more in the top of the second when the Blue and Gold loaded the bases as Schiebe was hit by a pitch, Gabby DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert Catholic) walked and Errera singled. On the hit, the rightfielder bobbled the ball allowing Schiebe and DeLeo to score, moving Errera to second where she stood for Vaughan who brought her home with a single to make it 5-1.
- Leading 5-2 into the fourth, New Haven scored the final run of the game when Errera doubled, moved to third on a fly out and scored on an error.
- Stonebraker picked up her 10th win and ninth complete game of the season, striking out eight batters.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- The Blue and Gold opened the scoring in the second as Schiebe and DeLeo were hit by pitches, sandwiching a Liptack walk, loading the bases. Erin Stever (Parish, N.Y./Altmar Parish Williamstown) lifted a fly ball into left, scoring Schiebe for a 1-0 lead.
- Neither team scored again until the fifth when the Chargers put up four runs. Stever walked to open the frame followed by a Whitlock single before both runners moved up on a sac bunt by Vaughan. A single by Luzzi drove in pinch-runner Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union) and moved Whitlock to third before a walk to Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) loaded the bases. Colby came through again with a sac fly to plate the second run of the inning and advanced Luzzi to third. On the next pitch, Devlin broke to steal second. The catcher threw behind the runner at third. On the return throw to the circle, the ball sailed past the pitcher, allowing both runners to move up, making it 4-0. Schiebe followed with a single, bringing home Devlin to make it 5-0.
- After the Blue and Gold plated another run in the sixth, the Owls scored their lone runs in the seventh on a homer.
- Butts picked up her league leading 17th win of the season, allowing three hits and striking out four.
NOTABLE
- The wins were New Haven's 29th and 30th of the season, marking the first time since 2010 that the Chargers have reached the 30-win plateau.
- The Blue and Gold played their first game as a ranked team since the 2010 season.
- With her 17th win, Butts tied for 10th on New Haven's single-season victory list.
UP NEXT
The Chargers wrap their regular season with an NE10 Southwest Division series at Le Moyne beginning with a doubleheader on Friday afternoon. First pitch from Syracuse, N.Y. is set for 2:00 p.m.
