WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven softball team (8-9, 1-1 NE10) opened up Northeast-10 Conference play with a doubleheader split against the Stonehill Skyhawks on Saturday afternoon. The Chargers walked-off in eight innings, 3-2 in the first game before dropping a 4-3 decision in the second game. Sophomore pitcher Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) threw a complete game only allowing two runs on five hits to open up the day.

Leading the Chargers on the afternoon was sophomore Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge) who collected four hits to go along with two RBI, including her first homerun of the season. Vaughan hit a double in the seventh inning of the first game and went on to score the tying run on a pass ball. Seniors Marissa Colby (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) and Tori Schiebe (Monroe, Conn./Masuk), and junior Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) each had three hits on the afternoon, with two hits a piece in the first game and each collecting another hit in the second game. Junior Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) had two hits on the day including an RBI double and a single, while scoring the winning run in first game.

In the circle, Butts got her fifth win of the season as she finished the day throwing the complete eight inning game, only allowing five hits and two earned runs. Butts had a season-high seven strikeouts while only walking two batters. In the second game of the doubleheader, sophomore Kylie Stonebraker (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High School) got the start. Despite suffering her sixth loss on the season, Stonebreaker had a season-high nine strikeouts on the afternoon. She gave up four earned runs on eight hits and only walked two batters.

GAME ONE RECAP
The Skyhawks got on the board quickly in the first inning, on an RBI single from Caroline Casey. Butts allowed another single before getting out of the jam as Sophie Perez grounded into a fielder's choice.

Colby had the first hit of the day for the Chargers in the bottom of the second inning, which was followed by a single from Schiebe, but New Haven was unable to capitalize.

Whitlock had her first hit of the day come as a one out single in the bottom of the third and stole second to get into scoring position. That allowed Luzzi drive her in with an RBI double to left field to tie the game 1-1.

Stonehill quickly answered and took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI double from Perez. New Haven had an opportunity in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases on three consecutive singles from senior Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull), Colby, and Schiebe, but were unable to convert any of these runs. The Skyhawks threatened again in the top of the seventh when Gianna Azzato reached on an error and made it to second on a sacrifice bunt. Butts got out of the jam by striking out the following batter and getting Hannah Ricker to ground out to end the inning.

Trailing 2-1, Vaughan led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to left field. After a Whitlock grounded out to second base agvanced Vaughan to third, she would tie the game on a pass ball, forcing extra innings.

Butts responded with a one-two-three top of the eighth inning to keep the scored tied and give the Chargers a chance to win it in the bottom half of the inning. Butts' season-high seven strikeouts matched her career-high when she struck out seven against Pace (4/5/17). In the bottom of the frame, Luzzi led off the inning with a single to center field. Freshman Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph's) followed that when she laid down a bunt and reached safely on an error by the first baseman, advancing Luzzi to third. Liptack loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch. With Colby up at the plate, Genna Hartman threw a wild pitch over the head of cather, which allowed Luzzi to score the winning run and give New Haven its first conference win this season.

GAME TWO RECAP
The Chargers threatened early loading the bases when Luzzi walked, Liptack reached on a fielder's choice and Colby was hit by a pitch in the first inning, but could not capitalize on the scoring opportunity. New Haven would break through in the second inning when Vaughan opened up the frame with a solo homerun to give the Chargers a 1-0 advantage. In the bottom of the third, Hillman and Vaughan each hit a single, but were left stranded.

On the defensive end, Stonebraker did not give up a hit until the fourth inning, when the Skyhawks took a 2-1 lead on back-to-back singles to left field by Julia Hartman and Katherine Rayner. The Skyhawks would score two more runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 4-1 on a double by Michelle Theilgard followed by a single from Caroline Casey.

The Chargers would start to make a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning. Colby reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a ground out by Hillman. Vaughan stepped up to the plate and hit a triple that got away from the diving attempt of the right fielder, scoring Colby. She would also score on a throwing error by the right fielder.

Despite surrendering a triple, Stonebraker got all three outs by strikeout in the sixth inning, before holding the Skyhawks scoreless in the seventh inning. Her season-high nine strikeouts were one away from matching her career-high ten strikeouts against Pace (4/11/17). New Haven's comeback came up short in the end to split the conference twin bill with the Skyhawks.

UP NEXT
The Chargers return to the softball field tomorrow, Sunday March 25^th as they host the Bentley Falcons for another NE10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Fans who are unable to attend tomorrow's games, live stats and video will be available on Charger Sports Network.