WALTHAM, Mass. – Coming off their three-series home stand, the University of New Haven Softball team began their road trip as they began conference play taking on the Falcons of Bentley University in a Friday midday double-header.

Breanna Kinney (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) got the start in the circle for the blue and gold and after giving up a lead-off single settled in nicely retiring the next three Falcons in order in the first. The Chargers made good contact throughout their first two innings. In the second inning, the Falcons were the first to score in the second inning pushing the first run of the game across to take the lead. The blue and gold looked to respond in the third when they got two runners on from walk and a double by their nine-hitter, Stephanie Smith (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Catholic) but would not be able to push a run across. Bentley would answer scoring three runs in the home half of the third, and a pair in each of the next two innings going on to beat the Chargers 8-0. New Haven looked to Viana McKinley (North Chesterfield, Va./Monacan) to slow the Falcons in game two as they went for a split in the series. Bentley kept the momentum scoring a pair in the first and adding a run in the third, but the Chargers began to chip away in the fourth. Lauren Haversat (Seymour, Conn./Seymoour) led the inning off with a walk before the bat of Emily Ricci (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional) stayed hot finding the gap in centerfield setting up two on and no outs to start the inning off and both in scoring position. Meg Anderson (Cranston, R.I./Cranston) walked to load the bases and Halle Frederick (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) found green in the outfield scoring Haversat and Ricci making it a one-run game and the momentum shifting towards New Haven. The inning continued as Lucia Ceccarelli (Griswold, Conn./Griswold) singled to left field loading the bases up for Corina Wilton (Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic). Wilton with one swing tied the game up scoring Piccirilli who was on to pinch run. During the hit, Cecarelli was thrown out at second base, but Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) walked to reload the bases for Stephanie Smith (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Catholic) who already had a double on the afternoon. Smith cashed in singling to center scoring a run as New Haven took their first lead of the game. With Wilton at third, the freshmen played aggressive, and on a wild pitch scored extending the lead to two runs, before Lauren Haversat (Seymour, Conn./Seymoour) walked to once again reload the bases but the bases would be left loaded to end the inning. In the home half, the Falcons responded scoring a pair to tie the game at 5-5 and added a run to retake the lead in the fifth. That however would not last long as in the sixth, the Chargers went back to work. Wilton led the inning off with a walk, and advanced to second on Smith's fielder's choice with two outs in the inning. Brianna Trueman (Trout Run, Pa./Montoursville Area) came up with a runner in scoring position and singled to center scoring Wilton as New Haven tied things back up but looked for more as Lauren Haversat (Seymour, Conn./Seymoour) stepped into the box. Haversat got a pitch that she sent to right field that got under the glove of the right-fielder scoring Trueman and Haversat legged out triple as the blue and gold retook the lead. Emily Ricci (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional) stepped in and turned on a pitch in the zone that found the base of the wall in left-center scoring Haversat and adding an insurance run for the Chargers who led 8-6. McKinley faced the top of the order for the Falcons who were down to their final three outs. McKinley dealt her best work in the sixth sitting the Falcons down in order, turning things back to the hot bats in the seventh. The bats stayed hot as Halle Frederick (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) led the inning off with a double before coming on to score off Wilton's triple. Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) would drive in Wilton on a sacrifice fly as New Haven extended their lead to 10-6. McKinley went back to work looking for the complete game win. McKinley got the first out of the inning but gave up a solo home run to the fifth batter in the lineup. A strong bounce back for McKinley came as she got a ground out for the second out of the inning needing the final. She did just that as she got the ground out to Ricci at third who made the strong throw across the diamond to secure the out ending the Charger's losing streak and and securing the split with the Falcons behind the complete-game performance by McKinley.   

New Haven returns home for an off day on Saturday before returning to Massachusetts when they take on the Greyhounds of Assumption University on Sunday, April 7. The Chargers and Greyhounds square off for a double-header, with first pitch from Worcester at 12:00 p.m. All updates, schedules, and post-game recaps for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.