SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the second straight day junior Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) had a great day in the circle and was a part of four of the eight total runs by the Chargers as the New Haven Softball team completed a four-game sweep of Le Moyne. New Haven won the opening game by a 3-1 margin before outlasting a late rally attempt in game two for a 5-3 decision.

At the plate, Fitzmaurice, senior Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph) and junior Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) each led the way with three hits apiece, accounting for nine of the 13 total hits on the day. In addition to them, freshman Ellie Frederick (Sunapee, N.H./Sunapee) also finished with a multi-hit day, while senior Melissa Bike (Stratford, Conn./Saint Joseph) and junior Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) rounded out those with base hits.

Fitzmaurice also led New Haven's bats with three RBI, including two that came on her second home run of the series, which again came on her first at bat of the day. In addition, Bike added a pair of RBI while Hillman, Frederick and Simpson also drove in runs.

In the circle, Fitzmaurice would close out the day with a win and a save, the second time she has done so this season. In the opening game, she would allow a single run despite giving up 10 hits to earn the victory. She also struck out five batters. In the nightcap, she would enter with two outs and a runner on in the seventh, recording the final out for her second save of the year.

Classmate Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) earned the victory in game two, pitching 6.2 innings allowing three earned runs on five hits and a trio of walks. She would also strike out three batters on the day, while stranding five Dolphins on base.

GAME 1: New Haven 3, Le Moyne 1

Continuing its trend from yesterday, the Chargers again plated runs in the top of the first inning with both of those time around coming from Fitzmaurice as she opened up her day with a two-run blast for her second home run of the series against Le Moyne. This is also the second-straight day that Fitzmaurice has homered in her first at bat of the doubleheader against the Dolphins.

The Dolphins cut into New Haven's lead in the sixth inning with a pair of hits driving in Le Moyne's only run and at the time cutting the Chargers lead to a single run heading into the final frame.

Fitzmaurice would come through again in the seventh inning when she drove in an insurance run, plating Case who led off the inning reaching on an error. In the bottom of the seventh, Fitzmaurice gave up a leadoff single but forced the next batter into a line-drive double play before earning her third victory of the series on an infield groundout.

GAME 2: New Haven 5, Le Moyne 3

Despite both teams leaving at least one runner in scoring position, the squads would play scoreless through the first three innings before New Haven broke through with a single run in the top of the fourth. A leadoff single from Fitzmaurice paid off as after she stole second, she was driven home by Simpson who doubled to the gap in left center.

The Chargers would put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth when they scored three more runs to take a 4-0 lead. A string of three hits with a walk sandwiched in between would all lead to the three-run rally with Simpson leading things off with a two-out triple to right field.

After a walk was issued to Megan Anderson in the next at bat, Bike and Frederick followed with RBI base knocks. Bike started it out with a double to centerfield, clearing the bases for a pair of RBI, while Frederick rewarded her on a single to centerfield for the final RBI of the inning.

UNH added one more run to its tally in the seventh inning, taking advantage of a lead off free pass when Case was hit by a pitch. After advancing on a stolen base, she would take third on an infield groundout from Fitzmaurice before scoring thanks to a single to left from Hillman.

Le Moyne managed to break up the shutout for Iodice as they scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh before Fitzmaurice came in to record her second save of the season, earning a decision in both outings for the third straight doubleheader. Overall for the Dolphins in that inning, the collected four hits, all singles with the final two knocking in their only runs of the game.

NEXT UP

The Chargers will return to the friendly confines of the UNH Softball Field for a weekend series with Saint Rose. The four-game set is scheduled for a doubleheader each on Saturday and Sunday with first pitch on both days set for 12:00 p.m. All of the action will be carried live on the Chargers Sports Network on NE10 NOW with live stats also available through NewHavenChargers.com