CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (April 13, 2019) – Senior
Courtney Rohde and junior
Gabby Young of the FDU-Florham softball team each recorded their 100th career hit as the Devils split a doubleheader with DeSales University Saturday.
The Devils, who dropped the first game 8-5 before rebounding 6-1 in the second one, are now 12-15 on the season and 5-5 within the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom. DeSales is 13-19, 6-4 in the conference.
GAME 1: DeSales 8, FDU-Florham 5
FDU raced out to a quick 4-0 lead after the top of the first inning, scoring four times with two outs. Sophomore
Dani Sames started the rally by reaching on an error before coming around to score on an RBI triple from Rohde. After sophomore
Nicole Casale was hit by a pitch, classmate
Francesca Shipe reached on another error to score Rohde. The big blow of the inning was a single by freshman
Colleen Conway, scoring both Shipe and Casale.
The Bulldogs chipped away at the lead, scoring three times on two hits in their first at-bat of the afternoon. The next two and a half frames went by scoreless before the hosts took the lead with four tallies in the fourth. All four runs came with two down, as a two-run home run to right center capped off the scoring in the stanza.
Young led off the fifth with a single to right-center before moving into scoring position thanks to a stolen base. A groundout advanced her to third before Rohde was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners with two down. FDU was unable to capitalize, as a called third strike ended the frame.
DeSales recorded their final run in the bottom of the fifth, and junior
Megan Zaccario notched a strikeout with a runner on third to close out the sixth. The Devils got within three, as Young dropped a single down the left field line to cross the century mark in hits. After another stolen base, Sames singled home Young with a shot to right field. That would be as close as they would get, as a Rohde line-out closed out game one.
GAME 2: FDU-Florham 6, DeSales 1
Zaccario and DeSales hurler Julia Testagrose engaged in a pitcher's duel over the first three frames, combining to allow just two hits. DeSales put a runner on first via a hit by pitch, but the Devils defense negated the runner by spinning a quick 4-6-3 double-play to close out the third inning.
The Devils broke the game open in the fourth, scoring four times on six hits. The first six hitters of the inning all collected singles, with freshmen
Emma Gaffney and
Morgan DeLoreto delivering run-scoring knocks to left-field. Young finished the scoring in the inning by reaching on an error, allowing Gaffney to cross the plate.
Playing with the lead, FDU added two additional runs in the fifth. With one-out, Rohde walked, and rookie
Dana Giardina doubled to right-center. DeLoreto came up with runners in scoring position and delivered a double to right-center, plating both Rohde and Giardina. Zaccario walked a perfect 1-2-3 fifth before running into trouble in the sixth. The Bulldogs put runners on first and second with two down, but the junior induced a fielder's choice to end the frame. DeSales scored an unearned tally in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't muster any additional runs.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Rohde and Young become the 15th and 16th student-athletes since 2005 to record 100 career hits.
- Conway has knocked two runs in two games this season, the first coming in a win against Delaware Valley on March 24.
- Zaccario threw 8 1/3 innings spanning the two games and her first victory of the season in the nightcap.
- Giardina had a career-high three hits in the second game, including the first two extra base hits of her career.
UP NEXT
The Devils developmental team will be back in action on Wednesday, taking on Brookdale Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. FDU resumes MAC Freedom play Friday, hosting Manhattanville College at 2 p.m. in a twin bill.
