CLERMONT, Fla. (March 15, 2018) - The FDU softball team topped Westfield State 9-8 before falling to Amherst 7-2 on Thursday morning.

The Devils are now 5-7 overall on the season, including 5-3 in Florida this week.

FDU-Florham 9, Westfield State 8 (8 innings)

The Owls opened the scoring with a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first, but sophomore Megan Zaccario rebounded with a perfect second inning. The second year hurler retired the side on just eight pitches.

FDU sent nine batters to the plate during their half of the second, plating four runs. After loading the bases on singles by Tara Morash, Taylor Tobey and Gabby Young, senior Taylor Torre hit a routine grounder that was booted by the third basemen. Morash scampered home, tying the game. With the bases still loaded, senior Rebecca DeCarlo delivered the big blow, a bases-clearing double to right-center. The double was the 100th hit of the DeCarlo's career.

Morash perfectly placed a double down the left field line leading off the fourth, but was left stranded as the Owls centerfielder made a tremendous diving catch ending the inning. Westfield State put their first two runners on in the fifth, but Zaccario escaped the jam getting the final out with a key strikeout.

The teams traded runs over the next two half innings, as the Devils scored an unearned tally on a fielder's choice from sophomore Kaylee Fish. Freshman Kaleigh Oplinger relieved Zaccario in the fifth, getting the final out of the inning on a slow-tapper to first.

FDU notched two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, putting them up 7-2. With one out, Torre doubled over the left fielders head. The senior came home on an RBI single from DeCarlo. Freshman Francesca Shipe drove in DeCarlo, singling into left-center field.

The Owls battled all the way back, scoring five times in the sixth. Only one of the runs was earned, as the Devils committed a pair of errors in the frame. Both sides went scoreless in the seventh, meaning extra innings would be needed to decide the outcome.

With Tobey placed on second, Torre knocked her in with a single to right center, advancing to second on the throw. Senior Michelle Mangini singled to short, scoring Torre from third. The extra run was key, as the Owls scored once in the bottom of eighth, cutting the deficit to one. Freshman Abbey Scarengelli ended the comeback hopes by fielding a come-backer and flipping to first for the final out.

DeCarlo led the way with three base knocks, while Torre, Mangini, and Shipe combined to go 6-for-11 with three runs scored and three RBI's.

Amherst 7, FDU-Florham 2
Neither side was able to score early, as Scarengelli and Amherst's Lorena Ukanwa tossed zeros over the first three innings. Scarengelli was particularly impressive in the third, getting all three outs on just five pitches.

Amherst struck for single runs in the fourth and fifth, including an unearned tally in the fifth. Freshman Linda Rizzo limited further damage, getting the two hitters she faced in the inning out on three pitches. The Mammoths tacked on three additional runs in the sixth, jumping out to a 5-0 lead.

FDU broke through in the home half of the sixth, tallying two runs of their own. Sophomore Gabby Young blooped a single to left, and Torre knocked her in with a double to left center. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, the senior crossed the plate on a Mangini groundout.

The Mammoths scored the final two runs, including a bases loaded single in the top of the seventh inning. The Devils had one final chance to comeback, as freshman Hunter Ruppel worked a one-out walk. That would be the lone runner FDU would get, falling 7-2.

Young collected two hits in the setback, while Scarengelli and Rizzo fanned three.

FDU closes out its Florida trip with against Franklin & Marshall and Ripon beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow.