The dugout was decorated with blue and yellow streamer,s and balloons, and on the left field fence hung a sign that read “Saucey Seniors.” It was the last home game of the season for the Quinnipiac women’s softball team For seniors, Callie Bundy, Lauren Fries, Leah Nankin and Courtney O’Neil, it was the last of their careers at QU.
The seniors had been honored at their last home weekend doubleheader, which took place on Sunday April 7 against UMBC. Quinnipiac unfortunately could not keep the celebration going to the end of the game as they fell to the visitors 12-10 and 12-11.
The team wanted to celebrate the accomplishments of their seniors during their official final home game and their two wins against fellow conference contender Central Connecticut State University.
In game one, the two evenly matched teams held each other in stalemate. Both pitchers, while allowing hits, did not allow the other team to cross home plate as the score remained tied at zero until the bottom of the seventh inning. And then came the fairy tale ending.
It was just like out of a movie. Elizabeth Moriarty steped up to the plate, in the bottom of the seventh, runners in scoring position, here’s the pitch and BAM! She whacked it into the outfield as the crowd cheered.
Senior captain Bundy crossed the plate as the winning run of the game. The team burst into cheers and celebrated. Quinnipiac takes game one over CCSU, 1-0.
Both pitchers did a fantastic job at holding runners on base and keeping the hit count low. However, it was QU’s Alisha Zabel who earned the shut out win. Zabel allowed only two hits and struck out four, while CCSU’s Aimee Hannon struck out seven but allowed six other hits.
Quinnipiac was not able to continue the celebration to the end of the game. However, as CCSU came back to defeat the home team, 4-2.
QU scored first in the bottom of the second inning when it knocked in Bundy and Renee Escaravage. CCSU came right back in the top of the third when it scored Danielle Cyr and Shaena Mainville to tie the game. The visiting team kept the runs going as it drove in Jess Harvey in the fourth and Karolyn Andrews in the fifth to win the game.
O’Neil started things off on the mound for QU, he pitched only 3 1/3 innings until Melissa Reynolds came in as relief to take the loss for Quinnipiac. Both girls combined for six strikeouts in the game.
Quinnipiac and Central Connecticut were not only evenly matched on the field. One team’s records seemed to resemble the other.
QU went into Wednesday’s doubleheader at 6-6 in the Northeast Conference, while CCSU was at 4-6 in the NEC. And with the split series, both teams were able to improve on those NEC records.
Quinnipiac’s next game will be away against St. Francis of New York on Sat., April 21 for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
Ending the game, the team only has three more regular season match-ups on their schedule before the NEC Tournament Championships begin on Fri., May 3.