THE BASICS:
- Score: New Haven 3, Assumption 1 (Game One); New Haven 5, Assumption 4 (Game Two)
- Records: New Haven (8-6, 4-0 NE10), Assumption (7-9, 1-3 NE10)
- Location: West Haven, Conn. (New Haven Softball Field)
- The Lead: Assumption started the scoring for the day, but was unable to fend off New Haven's energy in the first game and fell 3-1. The Hounds gained momentum late in the second game to tie it up 4-4 and send the game to ten innings when timely hitting benefitted the Chargers and gave them the 5-4 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME ONE
- The action started early with the Hounds getting Kayla Peabody (Mendon, Mass./Nipmuc Regional High School) and Olivia Crowley (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) on base. Alyssa Beaton (Smithfield, R.I./Smithfield High School) was up to bat and hit a pitch right back up the middle that the short stop had to dive at the keep in the infield, which scored Peabody and gave Assumption a quick 1-0 lead.
- New Haven answered immediately in the bottom of the first. The Chargers had two on base when there was a double to right center that drove in the tying run followed by a single to right field that drove in another run to give the Chargers a 2-1 lead. The Hounds earned their third out when a single was hit to right field and Julia Mazzeo (Milford, N.H./Milford) threw it to Haley Drakoulakos (Lowell, Mass./Lowell High School) at third who tagged the runner out to end the inning.
- With two singles and a double in the bottom of the second, New Haven loaded the bases. With a walk for the Chargers, they took a 3-1 lead after two innings. Despite outstanding pitching in the final innings of the game for the Hounds, they could not get any runs and fell 3-1 to New Haven.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Mia Patriacca (Newton, Mass./Newton North) started the game for the Hounds facing 18 batters. Mia Nowicki (Chelsea, Mass./St. Mary's Lynn) pitched the final three innings with six strikeouts to eleven batters.
- Seven Hounds went 1-for-3 at the plate with Peabody earning the only run and Beaton producing the sole RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME TWO
- New Haven kept their momentum from the first game and scored the first run in the bottom of the first off a single up the middle to take a 1-0 lead. The Hounds answered in the top of the third when Abigail Duggan (West Roxbury, Mass./Mount Alvernia High School) got a single followed by a single from Brooke Murphy (Salem, N.H./Salem High School) that advanced Duggan to second. Mckenzie Richards (Cranston, R.I./Cranston High School East) then singled to third base to load the bases with no outs. Peabody was up to bat with a clutch RBI to drive Duggan in to tie the game at one apiece. New Haven got out of the inning with a forced out at home and a foul out to third base.
- The Chargers advanced their lead in the fifth inning. A run scored off a wild pitch and then a double brought in two more to give New Haven a 4-1 lead. A similar situation as before for the Hounds with Duggan at second and Richards at first with Peabody at the plate. Peabody singled through the left side to load the bases with one out. Beaton singled up the middle that scored three runs and tied the game 4-4. Erin Barry (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) pitched a solid bottom of seven and sent the game to the eighth inning.
- Both pitchers pitched outstanding eighth and ninth innings leading into the tenth. New Haven held Assumption scoreless with two runners on second and third. The Chargers gained some momentum when Taylor Luzzi singled to left field which advanced the runner to third. Melissa Blike hit a single to center field that scored the game-winning run for the Chargers to win the game 5-4.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Nowicki started the game for the Hounds and faced 22 batters and pitched 42 strikes to earn three strikeouts. Barry finished the game facing 18 batters with 44 strikes to earn two strikeouts. Ava Fitzmaurice earned the win for the Chargers with 36 strikes and four strikeouts.
- Beaton led the Hounds going 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and the only stolen base. Peabody went 2-for-5 in the box earning the only other RBI for the Hounds. Duggan earned two runs and went 1-for-3 at the plate and walked once. Richards and Peabody scored the other two runs for Assumption.
UP NEXT:
- The Hounds are back on the road again Sunday, March 24, at Southern Connecticut State for a double-header at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED:
- For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.