NEW CASTLE, Del. – Senior shortstop Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) and sophomore catcher Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph) each finished with two hits as the University of New Haven softball team dropped a 6-3 decision to LIU Post. The Chargers closed out the 2019 campaign with a 33-16 overall record after making the program's 12th appearance in the NCAA Division II East Regional.
Overall, New Haven outhit the Pioneers, combing for nine total base knocks on the afternoon. Among those hits was one that went for extra bases, a double to lead off the second inning from senior second baseman Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union) as she eventually circled the bases to score the first New Haven run of the game.
In addition to the nine total hits, freshman shortstop Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee), junior designated player Alexandria Cunkle (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and junior leftfielder Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge) all recorded an RBI on the day with Case and Vaughan's coming on sacrifices and Cunkle driving in senior right fielder Vanessa Strohm (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) on a single to center.
In the circle, freshman Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) suffered the defeat, closing out her rookie campaign with 12-8 overall record. Throwing her third complete game of the weekend, Iodice surrendered six runs, five of which were earned, on seven hits and four walks. She also struck out a pair of Pioneers.
New Haven put LIU Post on its heels early in the game, scoring two runs in the second inning before adding a third in the fifth. In the second inning the leadoff double from Derosia payed off for the Blue and Gold when she was able to score thanks to a dropped fly ball in left field with Vaughan earning the RBI on what would have been a sacrifice attempt. The error also left the Chargers with runners on second and third with just one out. After senior centerfielder Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) was issued a walk to load the bases, Case sacrificed herself to drive the second run across for the early 2-0 lead.
In the fifth inning it was Cunkle who picked up the RBI, but again an error on the Pioneers extended the inning and eventually led to the run scoring. This time around it was Strohm who reached safely by way of an error at third base. After she advanced to second on a fielder's choice, the right fielder was able to score from second when Cunkle dropped a bloop single just over the second base bag out of reach of the centerfielder, short stop and second baseman.
The Pioneers began to chip away at the lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings before advancing to the Super Regional in walk off fashion in the bottom of the seventh.
