HARROGATE, Tenn. – The University of New Haven softball team continued its Spring Break trip on Monday with a doubleheader in the Volunteer State against the Lincoln Memorial Rail Splitters. The Chargers dropped both ends of the twin bill by scores of 9-1 and 14-6.

Three different Chargers finished with a multi-hit afternoon with freshman right fielder Alexa Hershberger (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) leading the way in the opening game, finishing 2-for-2 at the plate while scoring a run. Senior first baseman Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) provided the lone RBI in the day's opener when she sacrificed herself in the top of the fourth inning to break up the shutout.

In the nightcap, senior centerfielder Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) led the Blue and Gold, finishing with three hits, the most among all Chargers on the day. Junior left fielder Vanessa Strohm (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) rounded out the leaders at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 in the second game of the day, while knocking in one of the six runs. Junior Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union) provided the biggest hit of the day when they drove in two runs with her first collegiate home run which sailed over the left field fence.

GAME ONE RECAP

The Chargers gave up an early run to the Rail Splitters and were never able to recover from that deficit. Lincoln Memorial managed a 2-0 lead before the Chargers broke up the shutout in the fourth inning when Liptack sacrificed herself, which allowed Hershberger to score. The Rail Splitters responded to that single New Haven run by scoring five of their own in the bottom half of the inning before adding two more in the fifth.  

Overall, New Haven finished with three hits total, two of which came off the bat of Hershberger. One of her hits went for extra bases, while second baseman Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) provided the only other New Haven hit.

In the circle, sophomore Kylie Stonebraker (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High School) pitched the complete game in the loss. Over her 4.2 innings of work, she allowed nine runs, eight of which were earned, on eight hits and four walks. She also struck out two batters.

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

The Blue and Gold would again need to work from behind in the nightcap as the Rail Splitters opened the game pushing nine runs across the plate in the first two frames. New Haven put its first two runs on the board in the third inning, the first of which came on a throwing error by the catcher on a double steal attempts. That error allowed Melissa Bike (Trumbull, Conn./Saint Joseph), who originally led off the inning with a double, to score. Later in the inning Whitlock, who reached on an infield single, was driven home from third when Hershberger sacrificed herself with a fly ball to left field.

After a scoreless fourth inning from both squads, the Chargers opened up the fifth inning by cutting its deficit to three runs with a four-run inning. The first two runs in the frame came courtesy of the only homerun of the afternoon for New Haven, this off the bat of Derosia, her first in a Charger uniform. With the bases clear, the next five batters would all reach safely with the last two coming courtesy of singles from Hillman and Strohm that each drove in runs.

Despite a single in the top of the sixth, the Chargers were unable to get any closer with Lincoln Memorial securing the victory with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore pitcher Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) suffered the loss in game two, pitching the full 5.2 innings. Overall, Butts was credited with allowing 14 runs, only eight of which were earned, while surrendering 10 hits. She also struck out four batters.

UP NEXT

The Chargers will close out the southern trip on Tuesday when they travel to Greenville, Tenn. for a doubleheader against the Tusculum Pioneers. First pitch in the opening game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Red Edmonds Field.