It was not exactly a normal spring break trip to Florida for the Quinnipiac women’s softball team as they had a full week of games to be played on their schedule. Fun in the sun seemed to take a backseat on the trip for the squad.
The ladies were off to a slow season start as they arrived in the Sunshine State 0-2 after dropping a season opener double header to Yale on Saturday March 3.
However, the team’s week in Florida did not exactly get off to the most successful start.
They recorded losses to Temple University and the University of South Florida in their first few days.
Quinnipiac fell to TU 6-2 on Wednesday March 13 before falling twice to USF on Thursday, March 14 in Tampa, Fla.
Junior Jill Cimminello was the lone scorer for Quinnpiac in the 9-1 loss against the Florida team in the first game. Game one remained scoreless until the bottom of the third when the Lady Bulls rallied for four runs to break the tie. Quinnipiac put their only run on the board in the top of the fourth when Cimminello tripled and ran home on a sacrifice fly by freshman Sarah Collins. USF answered with a run at the bottom of the fourth inning.
Quinnipiac was able to prevent USF from scoring anymore until the bottom of the sixth when they scored their last four runs and the game was called due to the mercy rule.
Senior co-captain Callie Bundy was the only other QU player to record a hit in the first game. Sophomore Pitcher Melissa Reynolds, who recorded the lossing point, gained one strikeout in the game.
USF Pitcher, Niki Trowell, earned seven strikeouts and the win for the Florida team. Scorers for USF included Stephanie Roberts, Shelly Riker, and Carmela Liwag, each with two runs.
Holly Groves, Rachel Williams and Rachel Rosenbaum all contributed one run each towards the team’s win.
The lady Bulls wasted no time scoring runs in the 8-0 shut out in the second game. USF got on the board early as they scored three in the bottom of the first.
They then added to that lead with four more runs in the fourth inning and topped it off with one last run in the fifth inning. Following that last run, the game was called because of the mercy rule once again.
Collins and Senior Courtney O’Neil were the only QU players to record hits in the second loss. Junior Pitcher Alisha Zabel, who recorded the loss, only had one strikeout on the day. Reynolds gained her second strikeout of the day in the game.
Pitcher Corin Tasso earned the shutout win and gained three strikeouts in the game.
USF scorers for the second game included Roberts with three and Carmela Liwag with two runs. Courtney Lewellen, Riker, and Williams all added one run each.
Despite the disappointing start, the week was not completely unsuccessful for the Quinnipiac team as they earned two wins over Colgate on Mar. 15 in Lakeland, Fla.
Collins drove in four runs to help Quinnipiac to its 8-0 shutout in the first game.
Like USF with their shutout, Quinnipiac put points on the board early in the first inning and continued with four more in the fourth.
The game was called due to the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth inning. O’Neil earned the shutout, but was not able to gain any strikeouts in the game.
Other scorers for Quinnipiac included Elizabeth Moriarty and Bundy with two runs each, and Renee Escaravage and Valerie Muglia each with one run.
Colgate’s Natalie Rawson recorded the loss with no strikeouts in the game.
Quinnipiac claimed the lead with a 10-2 win in the second game making early runs. They put up two in the bottom of the first, one in the second, and three more in the third.
Colgate avoided another shutout when they put up two runs in the fourth. Quinnipiac, however, finished off the game and the series with two final runs; one in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Zabel and Reynolds combined for three strikeouts on the day, however it was Zabel who earned the win. Scorers for QU included: Lauren Fries and Ashley Morgan who each put up two runs. Cimminello, Collins, Escaravage, Euley, Moriarty, and Jessica Petri all added one run each to the final 10-2 victory.
Colgate pitcher Rachel Prong recorded the loss and gained only two strikeouts. Scorers for Colgate included: Amanda Brickell and Rachel Smith each with one run on the day.
Quinnipiac returned home on March 16 with a 2-5 overall record.