Leesburg, Fla. (March 13) – The FDU-Florham softball team split its season-opening doubleheader in Florida this afternoon. Bethel University (Minn.) topped the Devils, 14-1, in five innings in the first game of the day, but FDU bounced back for a 3-0, eight inning victory over Curry in the nightcap.

Bethel University (Minn.) 14, FDU-Florham 1 (5 Innings)
 
Bethel (4-2) scored the first 11 runs of today's game before FDU-Florham (0-1) was able to produce a run. A trio of RBI doubles highlighted the first inning for the Royals before Bethel put together two runs in the second for a 6-0 advantage. In the top of the third, Cortney Hokanson hit a homer over the fence in left center for a 7-0 lead.
 
FDU was able to score its first run of the game and first run of the season in the bottom of the fourth. Rachel Reiter (Riverside, Calif.) hit a slow roller to shortstop for a hit, moved to second on a walk, to third on a groundout and scored on a single up the middle by Heather Priante (Howell, NJ).
 
Bethel tacked on three in the top of the fifth to account for the 14-1, five inning final score. Kayla Simacek (4-1) earned the win for Bethel as she tossed three shutout innings and struck out nine before Ella Roberts came on for the final two innings. Ciara Hoffman (Freehold, NJ) took the loss (0-1) on three innings, 12 hits, nine earned runs and a strikeout.
 
FDU-Florham 3, Curry College 0 (8 Innings)

After seven scoreless innings, FDU's bats came alive in the top of the eighth inning. With Kacie Centineo (Waldwick, NJ) on second for the international tie breaker, Kristen Tigar (Hazlet, NJ) plated her on an RBI single to center for the 1-0 edge.

The Devils added two more before the frame was over; one on an RBI single through the left side by Colleen Conway (Amityville, NY) and one by Bianca DiSanto (Colonia, NJ), who got the start in the pitching circle for FDU tonight.

Hoffman (1-1) returned for her fifth inning of relief in the circle and doubled off the runner on base and struck out Hailey King to secure the 3-0 victory for the Devils. Hoffman scattered two hits and struck out eight batters for FDU, while King (0-1) took the loss on eight innings, eight hits, three runs (two earned) and six strikeouts.
 
FDU returns to action tomorrow afternoon with matchups with Rutgers-Camden University at 3:15 pm and Salve Regina University at 5:30 pm in Clermont, Florida.

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