NEW CASTLE, Del. – Freshman Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) threw a complete game and struck out six, but the University of New Haven softball team dropped a 2-0 decision to the second seeded LIU Post Pioneers in the opening game of the 2019 NCAA Division II East Regional. The Chargers will fall into the losers bracket of the double elimination tournament and will face the third seeded Wilmington Wildcats in the first of two elimination games on Friday. First pitch for the Chargers and Wildcats is slated for 12:00 p.m.
Despite a first inning home run and three hits that led to a single run in the second inning, Iodice allowed just one more base hit on the afternoon as she fell to 10-7 on the season. The six strikeouts also extends her team-lead to 83 total on the year while she threw her fourth complete game of the season.
Overall, New Haven finished the game with five hits, all of which came from different Charger batters, while as a team, the Blue and Gold stranded eight runners on base. Leading the Chargers at the plate on the afternoon was sophomore catcher Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph) whose lone hit on the afternoon was a leadoff double in the fourth inning, however her pinch runner Hailey Polisano (Howell, N.J./Howell) would remain stranded at second.
New Haven first threatened to plate a run in the third inning when the first two batters in the frame reached safely with junior designated player Alexandria Cunkle (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and junior left fielder Catherine Vaughan (Commack, N.Y./Hauppauge) each issued a walk. After a fielder's choice from leadoff batter senior center fielder Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) left runners on the corners with one out, the Pioneers managed to get out of the trouble with a groundout and strikeout.
The Chargers again left a runner in scoring position in the fifth inning, while their biggest threat came in the sixth inning as they left the bases loaded as the Pioneers worked out of the threat. Senior shortstop Taylor Luzzi (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) led off the inning legging out an infield single hit to short while Hillman followed that with a walk. After LIU managed to get the next two batters out on a strikeout and line drive to center field, sophomore first baseman smacked her lone hit, dropping a single into short right field to load the bases. Junior catcher Samantha Errera (Sweetwater, N.J./Cedar Creek) would give the ball a ride but her line drive fell into the center fielders glove to end New Haven's threat.
