LEESBURG, Florida. – Florida is the destination for most spring breakers and the same was for the University of New Haven Softball team that traveled for their second road trip of the year to Leesburg for their week-long trip in the sunshine state where they will play 10 games over the week before the team returns back home to begin their season in the Northeast. The team kicked off their week with a doubleheader with their first game against Truman State followed by a meeting with Purdue Northwest. In their second-ever meeting with Truman State, the blue and gold looked to pick up their first-ever win as the meeting with Purdue Northwest marked their second year in a row the two teams met with the Chargers looking to beat the Lions for the first time.
In the opener against Truman State, Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) took the circle looking for her first win and the Charger's first win of the year. The Bulldogs however jumped out early scoring three runs in the first and continued to add as the game went on. Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) made her debut for the Chargers in the circle coming in to close out the game throwing an inning and a third registering her first strikeout in the blue and gold. Iodice finished throwing two and two-thirds of an inning striking out two and giving up ten runs, four earned, on two hits. Offensively the Chargers combined for three hits and two walks. Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) had both a walk, hit, and a stolen base bringing her total to six stolen bases so far. Meg Anderson (Cranston, R.I./Cranston) and Ashley Veillette (Danielson, Conn./Killingly) added hits with Stephanie Smith (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Catholic) adding the second walk for the Chargers. The Bulldogs took the win crossing 10 runs on three hits to top the Chargers 10-0 in New Haven's opener of their spring break week.
After a short break, the Chargers returned to the diamond looking to bounce back and top the Lions for the first time. Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) took to the circle for game two looking to lead the Chargers. In the first Aponte got the first two outs via a fly-out and pop-up on the infield. Aponte walked the third batter before striking out Lion's clean-up hitter for her first strikeout of the afternoon. Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) led the inning off with her second walk of the afternoon, before advancing to second on a Halle Fredrick single to left setting up first and second with one away. The pair would be stranded following two pop-ups. In the second the Lions scored their first run pushing one across off a sacrifice bunt. The first run got the bats going for the Lions who would go on to score 11 runs in the game winning 11-0. The Charger's lone hit came from Fredrick in the first and Marzia Johnson (Branford, Conn./Branford) picked up the blue and gold second walk of the game. Aponte in the circle threw five innings giving up 11 runs, all earned, on ten hits and striking out a pair in the loss.
The Chargers keep a short memory as the team has eight more games over the week with a doubleheader on Monday, March 13 with their opener against the University of Mary with first pitch at 9:00 am followed by a matchup against Shepherd at 11:30 a.m. All updates, schedules, and post-game recaps for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.
