Hawks Split on Final Day at Rebel Games

[Game 1 | Game 2]

KISSIMMEE, FL (March 24) – The University of Hartford softball team split its final two games at the Rebel Games on Thursday, shutting out Niagara University 8-0 before falling short against Cornell University 7-6.

Hartford's record moved to 2-5 overall. Junior right-hander Caitlin Eichler picked up the complete-game shutout against Niagara, working six innings and allowing only five hits. She also struck out two while walking two and improved to 1-1 on the season.

After sophomore Michelle Mariano led off the game with a single, senior Liz Borawski brought her home with a double to give the Hawks an early 1-0 advantage. Borawksi would strike again in the third inning with an RBI double, and an RBI single by junior Samantha Morrison in the frame gave Hartford a 3-0 lead.

Hartford's next four runs would come courtesy of senior Amy Sullivan. She put a run on the board in the fourth with her first home run of the season. Then, with the bases loaded in the fifth, she lofted a ball deep to left that got caught up in the wind and was misplayed by the outfielder. The error cleared the bases and left Sullivan at third and the Hawks with a 7-0 lead. Sophomore Nikki Thompson would add the final run in the sixth with an RBI double.

Against Cornell in the second game, three Hartford errors yielded three unearned runs and cost sophomore Briana Hout her first victory of the season. Hout pitched a complete game and gave up four earned runs on 11 hits, striking out four while walking three.

The Big Red jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Hartford tied the game up in the third inning. With two outs and runners at second and third, senior Mallory Rapoza singled down the right field line to bring in two runs. Borawski then doubled to left center to score Rapoza and knot the game at 3-3.

The Hawks took a 4-3 lead in the fourth on a fielder's choice, with Sullivan picking up an RBI on the play. Cornell tied things up at 4-4 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and then scored three more runs in the sixth. The Big Red had only two hits in the frame but were helped out by three Hartford errors.

Hartford kept in the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Back-to-back singles by Morrison and sophomore Kristie Rochette gave the Hawks baserunners and, with two outs, Sullivan tripled to right field to bring them around. After Hout kept Cornell off the board in the seventh, the Hawks only managed a two-out single in their final time at bat.

Hartford will have some time off before opening its America East schedule with a doubleheader at Albany on Saturday, April 2 at 1 p.m.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Hartford	1	0	2	1	3	1	x	8	9	0
Niagara	0	0	0	0	0	0	x	0	5	1

Win: Caitlin Eichler (1-1)
Loss: McCrory

Win: Meunier
Loss: Hout (0-2)