CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (March 18, 2018) - The FDU softball team opened Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play with 3-0 and 6-5 wins over DeSales Sunday afternoon.
The Devils improve to 7-9 with the victories while DeSales fell to 3-7.
GAME 1: FDU-Florham 3, DeSales 0
The Devils wasted little time, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore
Gabby Young reached on an infield single, while senior
Taylor Torre worked a walk. Facing an 0-1 offering, senior
Rebecca DeCarlo blasted a home-run to left-center, putting the Devils up 3-0.
Freshman
Abbey Scarengelli made her first MAC Freedom start, and ran into trouble in the top of the second. With one out, the next two hitters singled. The rookie got a pop-up to short and a grounder to second to end the threat. The Devils looked to extend their lead in the bottom of the fourth, putting runners on second and third but couldn't drive the run in.
The Bulldogs looked to even things up in the fifth, as the first two batters notched singles. With the heart of the order looming, Torre started a 5-3 double-play to record the first two outs of the frame. Young fielded a routine ground-ball to retire the side.
DeSales had runners on base in each of the final two innings, but Scarengelli didn't let the runners in. The freshman kept all three outs in the infield during the seventh, giving FDU their first shutout win of the season.
Senior
Michelle Mangini was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk, while Scarengelli allowed just five hits over her seven innings. The rookie fanned four while surrendering just one walk.
GAME 2 - FDU-Florham 6, DeSales 5
The Bulldogs recorded the first run of the game in the top of the first. With runners on first and second, a fly ball to right drifted away from the right fielder, allowing the first run to score. The Devils managed to nail a runner at third trying to move up a base to help limit the damage.
FDU looked poised to get some runs in the bottom of the second, loading the bases on an error and consecutive singles from Mangini and freshman
Francesca Shipe. The runners would not score, as a 1-2-3 double play ended the threat.
DeSales doubled their lead in the third, tallying an unearned run that scored on a double to left center. Freshman
Linda Rizzo buckled down, retiring the next three hitters including a strikeout.
The Devils picked up their first lead of game two in the third, gaining three runs. With two down, sophomore
Gabby Young and Torre went back-to-back with singles. DeCarlo knocked both of them in with a single to center. Two batters later, Mangini dunked a ball down the right field line, allowing DeCarlo to score.
DeSales answered right back with three of their own in the fourth, including a two-run single up the middle. The Devils stayed resilient, chipping away at the lead with a run in the fifth. DeCarlo led off with a single and advanced to third on two groundouts. Shipe grounded to third, but the ball rolled through the fielder's legs for an error, allowing DeCarlo to score.
After a scoreless sixth inning, freshman
Kaleigh Oplinger retired the Bulldogs 1-2-3 in the seventh, setting the stage for a comeback. Sophomore
Courtney Rohde singled and was lifted for pinch-runner
Dani Sames. Mangini came up and hammered a 3-2 offering into left-center. Sames came around third and slid safely into home, tying the game. Mangini went to third and the throw bounced away from the fielder, allowing the senior to scoot home with the game-winning run.
Mangini went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI's while DeCarlo had two hits and two RBI's. Freshman Kaleigh Oplinger earned her first collegiate win, working 3 2/3 frames allowing two hits and one walk. The rookie fanned three, while Rizzo struck out a pair in 3 1/3.
FDU is back on the road Wednesday, traveling to Hackettstown, N.J. to take on Centenary at 3 p.m.
