WEST HAVEN, Conn. – As the light quickly faded at the New Haven Softball Field, the Chargers turned to rookie third baseman Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) with two outs and a runner on third. The freshman came through in the clutch knocking in sophomore shortstop Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) for the walk-off victory, taking the 2020 home opener against crosstown rival Southern Connecticut 6-5 in nine innings.
The game-winning run wouldn't have been possible for the Chargers if it weren't for the heads up play of junior catcher Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph). The backstop made a spectacular diving catch on a popped up bunt just in front of the plate and quickly fired to first for a double play as the Owls looked to threaten in the top of the ninth inning.
Overall, the Chargers relied on their sophomore pitcher Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) for the victory as she not only earned her third win (3-0 overall) of the season in the circle, striking out eight batters, but also drove in a team-high three runs. Fitzmaurice, who entered in relief of the Chargers starter, threw 7.2 innings allowing a pair of unearned runs on nine hits and a walk. Her eight strikeouts led all pitchers in the game and was more than the entire Owls pitching staff, which combined for seven total.
At the plate Fitzmaurice finished with a single base knock which came as part of a five run fourth inning that erased an early 5-0 deficit. Her base hit came with the bases loaded and one out as she laced a douhble to the base of the fence in right centerfield clearing the bases and knotting the game at five.
She and Aponte made up two of eight total hits for the Chargers on the day with the sophomore shortstop Case leading the team as the only player with multiple hits on the day as she finished 2-of-4 at the plate with a run scored. Junior first baseman Melissa Bike (Stratford, Conn./Saint Joseph) also knocked in a run on the day, the first run in the fourth inning. She also played a major role in another run when she began a delayed double steal by taking off at first and drawing the throw down that allowed Kat Aponte to score from third on the delayed swipe.
The remaining hits for the Chargers came from junior designated player Katrina Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley), and a pair of sophomores; second baseman Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) and outfielder Hailey Polisano (Howell, N.J./Howell).
New Haven will head south once again, this time to North and South Carolina where they will take on Barton (Tuesday, March 17), UNC Pembroke (Wednesday, March 18) and Francis Marion (Thursday, March 19) in a tour of the Carolinas.
