March 25, 2009

Game One|Game Two

Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University softball team dropped both games of a double-header to Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at Janet L. Ficke Field, in Garden City, New York. With the two losses, the Panthers fall to 10-6 overall record while the Owls improve to 10-2 on the season.

Game 1
The Owls took full advantage of a Panthers error as Christina Wolf blasted a three-run home run to give Southern Connecticut a 3-0 advantage. In the bottom of the second, the Panthers struck for their first run of the contest on a triple by junior Christine Robinson that drove home junior Katie Brophy from first base. The Panthers missed an opportunity to cut into the Owls lead in the bottom of the third, as senior Angela Martin singled up the middle and senior Samantha Johnston hit a bunt single that advanced Martin to second. The Owls junior Kerry Iacomini managed to get the next three Panthers out, two by a fielder's choice and sophomore Stephanie Byster flied out to right field to end the threat.

Adelphi pitcher Robinson never found her groove as Southern Connecticut State would counter for two more runs in the top of the fourth. Senior Christina Wolf doubled to lead off the inning and the next batter Kerry Iacomini hit a two run blast to left center field extending the Owls lead to 5-1.

Iacomini notched the win for the Owls as Robinson picked up the loss. SCSU had eight runs on eight hits with no errors. Adelphi had one run on five hits with two errors.

Game 2
Wolf's grand slam to left field with two outs in the top of the sixth inning was the difference in the Owls 8-5 come from behind victory over the Panthers. Southern Connecticut State got on the board first in the top of the second inning on a sophomore Robin Priest hit by pitch that scored Wolf. Junior Khristle Lee reached on a fielder's choice that scored Julianne Flood and the Owls took a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Adelphi responded with a vengeance on back-to-back homeruns by senior Jessica Vogt and Byster. Vogt hit a liner down the left field line on a no ball-one strike count that barely went over the foul pole to score the first run of the game for the Panthers. On a three ball-one strike count Byster hit a scorcher over the scoreboard in left field that got out in a hurry to even the contest at 2-2.

The Panthers would add two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Rochelle Noren got hit by a pitch and then stole second. Byster hit a double down the left field line between a lunging Krystle Lee and the third base bag driving home Noren. One batter later, senior Kristin Brennan singled that brought pinch runner junior Ashley Vinti home as the Panthers took a 5-2 lead.

In a blink of an eye, the momentum shifted back to the Owls favor. In the top of the seventh, the Owls scored two runs to cut the deficit to 1, 5-4. With two outs and the bases loaded, Christina Wolf needed just one pitch sophomore to smack the ball into left field for a grand slam putting the Owls back on top 8-5.

Freshman pitcher Brittany Hill picked up the victory for the Owls as sophomore Marissa Romeo took the loss in defeat. SCSU had eight runs on four hits with one error. Adelphi had five runs on nine hits with one error.

The Panthers are back in action tomorrow as they host New Haven at 3:00 p.m.