PHOTO GALLERY
WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Behind four RBI from freshman Ellie Frederick (Sunapee, N.H./Sunapee) and three from junior Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee), the New Haven softball team completed its second-straight four-game sweep with a pair of shutouts on Sunday, 4-0 in the opened and 5-0 in the nightcap.
Frederick closed out the day with a team-best four hits scattered across the doubleheader including her second home run of the season and second in as many days. Her home run, which was just to the left of centerfield knocked in a pair of runs, while two of Case's RBI also came on a home run, the first of the season for the shortstop and the first since her rookie season.
In the circle, both junior pitchers threw complete game shutouts with Fitzmaurice earning her 10th victory of the season, while Iodice surrendered just two hits in her first complete game blank slate of the season. Combined, the pair surrendered seven total hits on the day and stuck out four batters.
GAME 1: New Haven 4, Saint Rose 0
After being retired in order in the bottom of the first, the Chargers struck in the second, making a lead-off walk issued to freshman Meg Anderson (Cranston, R.I./Cranston) come back to hurt the Golden Knights. With a pinch runner in her place and one out recorded, Frederick began her three-hit game with a double to the base of the fence in right center that allowed Stephanie Smith (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Catholic) to speed home from first.
Following two more scoreless innings, New Haven added two more runs in the fifth inning with back-to-back hits, a single from freshman Hailey Laforte (Milford, Conn./Foran) followed by the first long ball of the day as Case sailed her first of the year over the fence in left center to extend the lead to 3-0.
A single run in the sixth would be the final tally in the opening game for the Chargers. Anderson again reached as the leadoff batter, this time legging out a double as she dove into second to beat the throw from left field. Again with a pinch runner in her place, Frederick drilled her third hit in as many at bats, a single which provided her second RBI of the game with Cayley Gottschall (Tampa, Fla./Sunlake) scoring form third.
On the flip side of the box score, Fitzmaurice stranded six runners on base in the game, including runners in scoring position in the first and third innings. Overall, she allowed five hits and one walk, forcing nine fly-outs and 11 groundouts to earn her 10th victory, second most in the entire Northeat-10 Conference.
GAME 2: New Haven 5, Saint Rose 0
The Golden Knights would again threaten to score early before stranding runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings and left the bases loaded in the fifth. In the meantime, New Haven began its scoring in the second inning, taking a 3-0 lead. The first two of those runs came from Frederick's home run as she drilled her second of the series against the Golden Knights.
Senior Mel Bike followed up that home run by working a walk, eventually scoring with two outs thanks to a single to center from Case. The next inning, the Chargers added two more runs to their tally, the first time in the series scoring more than four runs in each victory.
Second baseman Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) led off the inning with a single to left field and after swiping second a walk was issued to Anderson. With Smith in her place to run at first, the duo on base had the advantage of advancing on a wild pitch before both scored on the second base knock of the inning, a single to centerfield from freshman catcher Morgan Fisher (Erial, N.J./Paul VI).
In the circle, Iodice surrendered just two hits in the game, a hard-hit single to third which was the only base runner that inning for the Golden Knights, and a one-out single to centerfield in the seventh inning. Overall, Iodice stranded nine total batters, issuing five free passes and striking out three batters.
NEXT UP
New Haven will return to the diamond earlier than expected with the recently rescheduled NE10 Southwest Division doubleheader versus American International that was postponed earlier this month. The series will now take place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week with 2:30 p.m. starts at the New Haven Softball Field on both days. All of the action will be carried live on the Charger Sports Network on NE10 Now and live stats will be provided through NewHavenChargers.com.
