The Quinnipiac softball team (19-24, 4-6 MAAC) defeated Sacred Heart (12-30-2, 3-9 NEC) by a score of 1-0 in a defensive battle at the QU Softball Field in Hamden on Thursday.
The only run came in the bottom of the sixth inning when the Bobcats loaded the bases with one out. Miranda Magana scored off an RBI groundout to first by pinch hitter Dani Edmands with the bases loaded.
“Dani had a great hit so my mindset was just to run it home so we can get this game over with,” Magana said.
Magana was an offensive force for the Bobcats, hitting 3 for 3 and scoring the only run in the tight defensive game.
“Before the game I was looking at some old at bats and I was just thinking, ‘swing the bat hard and hopefully it goes somewhere,’” Magana said. “I just got out of a slump so I’m really happy that I’m finally connecting with the ball and it’s going places. And my parents were here to see that.”
Outside of the sixth inning, defense was the story of the game.
Starting pitcher Casey Herzog (10-11) performed well for the Bobcats and earned the win, striking out five batters across six scoreless innings. She was also efficient, as she did not walk any of the 26 batters she faced.
“I’ve said it all along, we’re defense oriented,” Quinnipiac head coach Jill Karwoski said. “Casey will get some big strikeouts when we need it and get us out of some jams. She got some ground balls and fly balls in key moments and kept their hitters a little bit off-guard with her off-speed pitches.”
Herzog got the team out of a jam in the first inning, stringing together three consecutive outs with Sacred Heart runners on first and third following a dropped fly ball by Abby Johnson.
“It was definitely big [to get out of the jam] because you could tell that with the error, we went back on our heels but we picked it right back up and once we got out of the jam we were flawless from there,” Herzog said.
Kendall Brundrett took the mound in the seventh inning for the Bobcats to close out the game. While she allowed a double and a walk, she was able to force three fly outs to earn her second save of the season.
Both teams pitched well as The Bobcats’ staff allowed just four hits while Sacred Heart gave up only five.
Sacred Heart starter Jamie Carlson allowed just three hits in three scoreless innings, earning five strikeouts with no walks.
Emily Orosco was also solid in relief for Sacred Heart. She pitched two scoreless innings, picking up six strikeouts without giving up a hit.
However, Kristen McCann struggled in her one inning pitched. While she did earn two strikeouts, McCann allowed the only run on two hits and two walks.
Karwoski was thrilled with the win, but focused on the upcoming weekend.
“Any momentum [going into the weekend] especially with the win definitely works in our favor. Casey [Herzog] had a great outing, we had a couple of great defensive plays… and the bats started to come alive. We’ve still got a little work to do, but we’ll get there.”
The Bobcats will play a four-game road trip over the course of two days with doubleheaders against MAAC opponents Saint Peter’s and Manhattan on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
