PHOTO GALLERY
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Traveling just three miles from its campus, the University of New Haven softball team opened up its 2019 Northeast-10 schedule sweeping a doubleheader against crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University.
Leading the Chargers on the day was freshman shortstop Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) who drove in six runs, three in each game, including smacking her first collegiate home run, a three-run blast in the opening game. Overall at the plate, senior third baseman Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) led the Chargers with five hits combined on the day, including a perfect 4-of-4 effort at the plate in game two.
Luzzi and Case were two of five batters who all finished with multiple hits on the day as the Chargers combined for 16 total hits across the doubleheader. Joining Case in driving in the Blue and Golds runs were Luzzi and Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge), the latter of which finished with a pair of extra base in the second game of the day.
In the circle, freshman Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) pitched a complete game for her team-leading fourth victory of the season while junior Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) earned the victory in game two in what was her first appearance of the season. Fitzmaurice's seven inning appearance concluded with a pair of runs allowed, one of which was earned, on six hits. Butts closed out her day with 3.2 innings of work allowing two runs while surrendering just a single hit. Rounding out the pitching staff was freshman Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) who relieved buts and threw a scoreless 3.1 innings while allowing just one hit and striking out a team-high five batters.
GAME ONE: New Haven 5, Southern Connecticut 2
It didn't take long for the Chargers to get Southern Connecticut's starting pitcher Jazmyn Martinez, plating four runs in the top of the second inning which allowed the Chargers starter, Fitzmaurice, to work with a comfortable lead.
Martinez allowed back-to-back walks to start out the second inning with second baseman Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union) and right fielder Vanessa Strohm (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) earning the first two free passes. Including an earlier stolen base from Derosia, the two walks left runners on the corners. Vaughn would follow that with a fielder's choice that knocked in Derosia and left her at first base. Back in the leadoff position, centerfielder Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) also reached safely on a fielder's choice with Vaughan able to advance safely to second. With a pair of runners on board, Case sailed her first collegiate home run over the season driving in three runs.
The Owls would manage one run back in the bottom of the second while both teams scored an additional run in the fourth inning. The Chargers single run in the fourth inning came with two outs as Vaughan was credited as the first runner after taking a pitch in the shoulder. After stealing second, she was able to score on an error at short stop during Whitlock's at bat.
Overall, Case's three RBI led New Haven in the opening game as the Chargers mustered five total hits, all of which came from different players. In the circle, New Haven's freshman Fitzmaurice earned the victory pitching a complete game. Of the two runs she allowed, one was earned, while she was tabbed for six total hits and a pair of walks without a strikeout.
GAME TWO: New Haven 7, Southern Connecticut 2
New Haven again started the scoring early, taking an 4-0 lead after the first three innings. In the top of the first, the Chargers would pick up a single run after Whitlock led off the game reaching on an error at second base. After a wild pitch allowed her to advance, she was able to score on another error, this time charged to the pitcher.
In the second inning, back-to-back extra base hits would net a pair of runs both of which came with two outs. In the eight hole in the lineup, Strohm began the rally with a double to centerfield. She was immediately followed by a triple through the left side from Vaughan who then advanced home after the throw from the outfield went out of play.
The final tally in the opening innings again came with two outs and paid back the one-out single to center from Luzzi. Two batters later Hillman came through with a single through the right side, allowing Luzzi to score from second.
The Chargers would surrender a pair of runs in the fifth inning, but put the game out of reach with a three run seventh inning. The Blue and Gold bats were on fire to start the inning with the first four batters reaching on a hit. Vaughan led off the inning with a double to left field, her second extra base hit of the game. Returning to the top of the lineup, Whitlock followed with a single before Case drove in two more runs on a double down the left field line scoring Vaughan and Whitlock. Case was then rewarded on the next at bat when Luzzi slapped her fourth hit of the game up the middle allowing case to score from second.
Overall for the game, Luzzi led all batters going 4-of-4 at the plate with an RBI, while Case added to her RBI tally for the day driving in three more runs. Overall, the Chargers finished with 11 hits, all of which came from seven batters with Vauhan the only other to finish with a multi-hit game adding a pair of extra base knocks.
In the circle, Butts scored a victory in her first outing of the season. In 3.2 innings of work, Butts allowed a pair of earned runs while surrendering just one hit and a pair of walks. She also struck out one batter. Iodice provided 3.1 innings of relief for Butts without allowing a run on a single hit and team-best five strikeouts.
UP NEXT
New Haven will make their first appearance of the season at the New Haven Softball Field, opening up a four-game weekend with the Assumption Greyhounds on Saturday for a doubleheader. The first pitch of the twinbill is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
