GAME DAY INFORMATION DATE: April 27, 2021 LOCATION: New Haven Softball Field West Haven, Conn. GAME DAY LINKS LIVE STATS LIVE VIDEO: GAME 1  |  GAME 2

NEWS NEWS ROSTER ROSTER SCHEDULE SCHEDULE STATS STATS

THE LEAD
The New Haven softball team returns to work on Tuesday as they host American International in a rescheduled doubleheader that was originally postponed due to inclement weather last week. New Haven and AIC will close out the four-game NE10 Southwest Division series on Tuesday, after the Chargers took both ends of the opening doubleheader last Thursday in West Haven.

First pitch for Tuesday's first game from the New Haven softball field is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. with all of the action available on the Charger Sports Network on NE10 NOW and live stats available through NewHavenChargergs.com.

SERIES HISTORY VS AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
Following a New Haven sweep in the first two games of this year's series last week in West Haven, the Chargers hold a 49-38 all-time mark against the Yellow Jackets. However, since 2011, the Blue and Gold have won 26 of the 29 meetings, including sweeping a four-game set in 2019 and a three-game series in 2018. The two teams did not play in the Covid-shortened 2020 season. In the first two meetings this season, New Haven outscored the Yellow Jackets 14-3 led by juniors Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) and Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) who each drove in four runs, while Fitzmaurice earned a victory and a save in the circle.

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
New Haven enters the midweek doubleheader with American International after a two-game split with Southern Connecticut this past Saturday. With the victory in the opening game against the Owls, New Haven extended its win streak to 13-striaght games before dropping the nightcap in New Haven. For the season, New Haven is led by junior Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Fitzmaurice leads the team with a .360 batting average, following closely by junior Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) with a .320 average. Combined, the pair has driven in 28 runs with Simpson leading the duo with 16. Fitzmaurice leads the way with 27 hits, including a team-best four home runs. Also combined, the pair is a perfect 15-of-15 in stolen bases. In the circle, Fitzmaurice leads a duo of slingers with a 1.000 earned run average, amassing a 13-1 overall record with four saves. In 104.2 innings of work, she has surrendered 21 runs, 15 of which are earned, while striking out 56 batters. All 12 of her starts have been complete game outings, while she has pitched five shutouts on the year.

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Having their weekend series with Franklin Pierce cancelled, American International hasn't played since its visit to West Haven last week, and enter Tuesday looking to snap a five-game skid after posting a 3-1 record in a four-game weekend series against Southern Connecticut. Overall for the year, AIC sports an 8-16 overall record and a 7-11 mark in the NE10 Southwest Division. For the season, the Yellow Jackets are led by sophomore Alexis Jimenez who has a combined 17 hits in 54 at bats for a .315 average. As a team, the Yellow Jackets are hitting .254 on the season. In the circle, Jimenez leads a staff of five who have all pitched at least 15 innings on the year. Jimemez sports a 2.80 earned run average, while freshman Isabella Erti has thrown a team-high 62.1 innings and has a 3.71 ERA. Erti also leads the team with 35 strikeouts, however has given up 15 doubles in the 43 total hits allowed.

FITZMAURICE EARNS FIRST HONORS OF THE SEASON
Junior pitcher Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) completed quite an impressive eight-game stretch last week with a 0.57 ERA in 36.2 innings of work and hit .423 with 11 hits, three home runs and three RBI, all leading to being named the Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Week on Monday, April 19. In the circle, Fitzmaurice appeared in seven of the Chargers eight wins last week, making four starts. She went 5-0 with a pair of saves in that stretch, while striking out 17 batters and stranding 39 runners on base. This marks the second time Fitzmaurice has been named NE10 Pitcher of the week, the first coming on March 25, 2019 during her rookie campaign.

A BAKERS DOZEN
Prior to a loss against SCSU in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday, April 24, the Chargers had rattled off 13 straight victories dating back to the first week of April. Much of the success in that series can be accredited to junior Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) who during that stretch was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball. At the plate, the Greenville, N.Y. native smacked 19 hits and drove in 10 runs as part of a .442 batting average. Among her 19 hits were five home runs while she was also a perfect 4-of-4 on the base paths. In the circle, Fitzmaurice threw 65.0 innings allowing just six runs, four earned, for an impressive 0.43 earned run average. Through 12 appearances, she racked up a 9-0 record with four shutouts and added three saves to her tally. She also struck out 30 batters in that stretch.

REACHING MILESTONES
Fifteenth year head coach Jen Starek has set a pair of milestones during the Chargers 2021 campaign. The first came in the midst of the Chargers 13-game win streak when she picked up her 400th career victory at the helm of the Blue and Gold. Heading into the season, Starek needed 10 wins to reach that number and she did just that in the midst of the Chargers first four-game sweep of the season on the road at Le Moyne. Her second milestone came on April 22 when the Chargers shutout American International, giving Starek her 450th career victory across all three of her head coaching positions.

POST SEASON PLANS
As announced by the conference office on April 1st, the NE10 has adopted a postseason plan that includes all 14 teams qualifying for the conference championship. The Championship will be conducted in divisional play until the championship series. With seven teams in each division, the top seeded team will receive a first-round bye with the highest seeds, 2-4, hosting first-round games on Tuesday, May 4. Semifinal match-ups will take place on Thursday, May 6 with a best of three divisional championship series set for Sunday, May 9 and if necessary, Monday, May 10. The NE10 Championship Series, another best two of three series, is scheduled for Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15. NE10 Championship Softball Bracket (PDF)
Playoff Dates
Tuesday, May 4 - Southwest Division First Round
Thursday, May 6 - Southwest Division Semifinal
Sunday, May 9/Monday, May 10 - Southwest Division Championship Series (Best 2 of 3)
Friday, May 14/Saturday, May 15 - Northeast-10 Conference Championship Series (Best 2 of 3)

THE 2021 SCHEDULE
As announced by the league, the NE10 adopted a divisional format for 2021 – Northeast and Southwest – with all schools slated to play a 24-game conference schedule. Series will consist of four games on weekends in doubleheader format, while schools maintain the ability to extend the weekend series to three days or alter the days in which they play in accordance with academic calendars. New Haven will play in the Southwest Division which is made up of seven teams including Adelphi, American International, Le Moyne, Pace, Saint Rose and Southern Connecticut. In addition to its 24-game conference schedule, New Haven will play seven non-divisional dates, including one out of conference opponent, Molloy, bringing their total scheduled games for 2021 to 38.

CHARGERS SECOND IN PRESEASON POLL
In a poll of the conference's 14 head coaches, the UNH softball team was selected to finish second, among the seven teams, in the Southwest Division. The Chargers received 81 points and four of the 14 possible first place votes to finish just behind Adelphi who garnered 87 points and the remaining 10 first place votes. Rounding out the top-five was Pace (68 points), Le Moyne (53) and Saint Rose (36). Southern Connecticut came in at sixth with 32 points, while American International rounds out the division in seventh place with 28 points.

UP NEXT
New Haven will close out divisional play this weekend with a four-game set against the Pace Setters on the docket for Friday and Saturday afternoon. The opening game of the series is scheduled for Friday, April 30 with first pitch at the New Haven softball field scheduled for 3:00 p.m. All of the action from West Haven can be seen live on the Charger Sports Network on NE10 NOW.