WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Freshman Ashley Veisz (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) finished with four hits and three RBI to lead the University of New Haven softball team (5-1 overall) as they swept previously undefeated Molloy College (8-2 overall) to earn a pair of key regional victories on Thursday afternoon.
Veisz was one of five players who finished with at least two hits combined across the doubleheader, followed by junior Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) who scattered three hits. Veisz was also one of four players to drive in at least one run, with freshman catcher Morgan Fisher (Erial, N.J./Paul VI) driving in a pair, both of which came in the nightcap. Overall as a team, New Haven finished with 18 hits combined, including five doubles, all of which came from different players.
In the circle, juniors Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) and Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) earned the victories, while the latter also scored a save in the opening game as she entered needing to secure two outs for the victory and struck out both batters she faced. The pair also combined for 12 total strikeouts against the Lions, with Fitzmaurice leading the duo with seven.
GAME 1: New Haven 2, Molloy 1
After stranding three runners on base in the first two innings, the Chargers broke the scoreless stalemate in the bottom of the third inning when they plated a pair of runs. Sending six batters to the plate in that frame, the Blue and Gold started the rally with three-straight one-out singles from Fitzmaurice, Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph) and Veisz, with the rookie third baseman driving in her first run of the day as she plated Fitzmaurice who scored from second.
Following the RBI single from Veisz, Fisher hit into an infield groundout that allowed the pinch runner, Cayley Gottschall (Tampa, Fla./Sunlake), to score the eventual game-winning run.
The Chargers defense continued their double play success from their weekend series against Saint Anselm with two more in the opening game against Molloy. The Lions managed to push their lone run across the plate in the fourth inning, taking advantage of a lead-off error.
The Lions then threatened to tie or take the lead in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with one out before Fitzmaurice came in from centerfield to close out the contest. She would get both batters she faced, pinch hitters in the eighth and ninth positions in the lineup, to strike out swinging.
GAME 2: New Haven 6, Molloy 4
New Haven would need to work from behind in game two after the Lions scored two runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a single swing of the bat from Mikaela Tribby. The Blue and Gold would answer back by cutting the deficit in half in their half of first inning. Junior shortstop Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) started the game off with a lead-off double to the base of the fence in left center. She was left nearly stranded when with two outs Veisz came through with a single to right center that allowed Case to score easily from third.
Another leadoff double, this time from Fitzmaurice in the bottom of the third, would again pay off for New Haven as she was rewarded on the next at bat when Hillman drilled a ball down the right field line. The Chargers would then take the lead in the bottom of the fourth with Veisz driving in the go ahead run on her second hit of the game, a single through the right side.
After the Lions managed to knot the game at three with a single run in the sixth, the Chargers answered with a two-out rally by scoring three runs to take a 6-3 lead. The rally began with a single from Veisz, the first of four-straight hits with a double from Fisher following that and knocking her in, while Fisher was able to score on the same play after a throwing error by the first baseman sent the ball deep down foul territory in left. Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) and Meg Anderson (Cranston, R.I./Cranston) would follow that up with back-to-back hits, a single form Simpson and a double to right from Anderson that allowed Simpson to score from second after she swiped the base.
The Lions managed to take one of those runs back in the top of the seventh but Fitzmaurice closed out the game with an infield groundout to improve to 3-0 on the season.
NEXT UP
The Chargers will switch gears a bit when they return to the diamond for a four-game weekend series against Le Moyne. New Haven will travel for the first time this season when they face the Dolphins on Saturday, while also opening Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Divisional action. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
