WEST HAVEN, CONN. – The University of New Haven softball team captured a key non-conference doubleheader sweep to close out the regular season on Thursday afternoon, taking down Caldwell 3-2 in game one, and holding on for a 2-1 win in game two. Both teams entered the day occupying two of the final three spots in the NCAA East Region rankings, with Caldwell (29-21) ranking sixth and New Haven sitting eighth.
Senior Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) had a hand in all five Charger runs on the day, going 4-for-7 with two runs and three RBI in the two games. Freshman Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) pitched in relief in both games, earning the win in game one and getting the save in the nightcap, tossing a combined four innings of no-hit ball without issuing a walk. Freshman Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) had three hits and scored twice on the day, and freshman Rachel Crafts (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) had two hits and a RBI in game one. The Chargers conclude the regular season at 30-13 overall and will now await the release of the bracket for the upcoming Northeast 10 Conference Tournament, which will begin next Tuesday.
GAME ONE
The Chargers pushed across one run in each of the first two innings, leaving the bases loaded in each frame. Luzzi got the Chargers going in the first inning with a two-out single to right-center, then stole second. After a walk, Rachel Crafts (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) doubled to the left field fence to plate Luzzi and give the Chargers a 1-0 lead.
New Haven's defense helped keep the lead in the top of the second, when Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge), Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union), and Case executed a perfect 8-4-2 relay to the nail a runner at the plate trying to score from first to end the inning.
New Haven tacked on another run in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead. Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge) and Whitlock reached on errors with one out, then Luzzi reached on a fielder's choice on a grounder to second, on which Melissa Bike (Stratford, Conn./Saint Joseph) hustled around to score from second.
After a 1-2-3 top of the third, Caldwell put a runner on base with two outs in both the fourth and fifth innings with a single and hit batsman, respectively, but starter Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) rebounded to strand the runners.
Caldwell broke through for a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game 2-2. After a leadoff walk, Fitzmaurice got a popup to short before two consecutive singles loaded the baes with one out. A RBI groundout to shortstop got the Cougars on the board, then an infield single brought home another run to tie the game. Iodice then entered the circle for New Haven and got a ground ball to second to end the inning.
The Chargers regained the lead with back-to-back knocks in the bottom of the sixth, courtesy of Case and Luzzi. After narrowly missing a home run on a foul down the left field line, Case singled to left field, and Luzzi followed by launching a clutch double to the left-center field fence, scoring Case all the way from first with what proved to be the winning run.
The Cougars put the tying run on base with one out in the seventh following an error, but Iodice got a pair of ground outs to lock down the win.
Iodice picked up her ninth win of the season, tossing 1.1 hitless innings of relief for New Haven. Fitzmaurice took a no decision after 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and one walk with three strikeouts.
GAME TWO
New Haven jumped out to another quick lead, plating a pair of runs on three hits in the first. Case lined a double to left-center with one out, then hustled home from second on an infield single by Luzzi. After stealing second, Luzzi came in to score on an error one batter later to give the Chargers the 2-0 lead.
Starter Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) kept the Cougars off the board through the first four innings, working around one hit in each frame. After getting two outs off a failed double steal by Caldwell in the first inning, Butts also induced a pair of double plays in the early going, starting a 1-6-3 twin-killing in the second, and got a 5-4-3 around-the-horn double play to end the fourth.
The Cougars cut the deficit in half with an unearned run in the top of the fifth. After a walk and an error put two on with one out, a RBI single up the middle plated Caldwell's first run to make it 2-1. With runners on second and third, Iodice then came out of the pen and got a pop out, and a fly out that was hauled in on the track by Vaughan to escape the jam.
Iodice helped seal the win for New Haven, retiring eight of the nine hitters she faced without allowing a hit to earn her first career save.
The Chargers have earned at least the No. 2 seed in the Southwest Division in the upcoming NE10 Tournament, which will be hosted by the highest seeds in the Northeast Division. Check back to NewHavenChargers.com for up to date schedule information.
