WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven softball team (7-8) completed its first home sweep of the season against LIU Post (6-8) in non-conference action, taking two from the Pioneers, 1-0 and 2-1 on a cold and windy Sunday afternoon.
 
Senior Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) and freshman Alexa Hershberger (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) each went 3-for-6 at the plate on the day with Hershberger clocking a double in game one. Freshman Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph's) notched three hits as well with a 3-for-5 performance at the dish with an extra-base hit. Sophomore Marissa Colby (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) had a hit in each of her two at bats on the day, followed by senior Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge), freshman Katrina Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) and sophomore Alexandria Cunkle (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) who all had one base knock.
 
In the low-scoring affairs, Aponte and Cunkle tallied the RBI's, with Cunkle plating senior Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) on a single in the front end of the doubleheader while Aponte drove a two-RBI single to score sophomore Samantha Errera (Sweetwater, N.J./Cedar Creek) and Hershberger in the later end.
 
Game One: New Haven 1, LIU Post 0
 
In the circle, Butts threw her second-straight complete-game shutout, tossing five strikeouts while surrendering no walks against her 27 batters while allowing only four hits.
 
Hershberger doubled in the first inning and advanced to third one batter later, but was stranded with a strike out to end the inning.  Liptack and Colby kicked off the bottom of the second with back-to-back singles and advanced to third on a Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) sacrifice bunt. Cunkle stepped up to the plate next, driving in New Haven's lone run of the first game with a base hit to center field to score Liptack from second base.
 
Butts would then retire the side in order in the third before LIU Post nearly had the equalizer in the fourth, stranding Abbey Fortin on third base before Claire Travis was caught looking to finish the top half of the fourth. Butts did not allow a hit in two of her final three innings, coming away with her fourth win of the season.
 
ECC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Hannah Olshevski suffered the loss, falling to 4-2 on the season, allowing one earned run on eight hits with three strikeouts.
 
Game Two: New Haven 2, LIU Post 1
 
Each team went scoreless over the first two innings, with LIU Post scoring its first and only run on the day on a wild pitch. Despite Katie Humhej retiring the Chargers in order in the top of the third, sophomore Kylie Stonebraker (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High School) matched her opponent in the next half inning, shutting the Pioneers down with two strikeouts and a ground out, leading New Haven into the bottom of the fourth with the numbers two, three, and four batters due up.
 
Hershberger went opposite-field to start before Hillman also singled to left field to put runners on first and second with no outs. Hershberger and Errera as the pinch runner advanced on a Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) groundout. Aponte's line-drive single would then score Errera and Hershberger as New Haven took a 2-1 lead.
 
Stonebraker shut the Pioneers down the rest of the way as she capped the game with a 1-2-3 inning, with sophomore Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge) sealing the deal with a diving catch in foul territory to put away the game. Stonebraker earned her third win of the season, striking out six over seven complete innings of work.
 
Up Next:
 
New Haven moves to NE10 divisional play on Wednesday, March 21 for a doubleheader against Pace University. First pitch against the Setters at the Pace softball field is slated for 3:00 pm.