Quinnipiac University
10-14
University of Hartford
3-21
QU Softball Sweeps Hartford in Home Opener, 5-0 and 2-1
3/30/2017 7:14:00 PM | Softball
Bobcats Earn Fourth Straight Win Behind Pitching Duo
HAMDEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac softball team swept in-state rival Hartford, 5-0 and 2-1, in the 2017 home opener at the QU Softball Field on Thursday afternoon.
With the two wins, Quinnipiac has now won four straight games and improves to 11-14 on the season, while Hartford falls to 3-22.
Quinnipiac's pitching dominated the day as Casey Herzog (Wappinger Falls, New York) earned the win in game one with a complete game one-hit shutout. It was Herzog's third complete game shutout win this season. Herzog's dominance nearly earned her a no-hitter, as she gave up her only hit with two outs in the fifth inning.
Abbey Long (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) earned the win in game two, going the distance while surrendering one run on only three hits while striking out five.
In game one, after Herzog struck out two batters in the top of the first, the Quinnipiac offense was able to score a run in the bottom of the inning to give her a lead. Herzog drew a one-out walk, then Rebecca Drake (Whiting, New Jersey) doubled to right to put runners on second and third for Keala Cordeiro (Huntington Beach, California). Cordeiro then lined out deep to right, allowing Herzog to score on the sacrifice.
The Bobcats added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth after Lexi Courtney (Scappoose, Oregon) drew a one-out walk, followed by a Rachel Marchuk (San Ramon, California) double that lead to a throwing error by the Hartford second baseman, allowing Courtney to score and Marchuk to go to third. Two batters later, Taylor Troyan (Boca Raton, Florida) singled to right field, driving in Marchuk to give Quinnipiac a 3-0 lead.
Quinnipiac tacked on two more runs in the fifth, starting with a Drake single then an error on a fielder's choice to set up runners on first and second with no outs. Erin Larsen (Kissimmee, Florida) doubled down the right field line, scoring Drake and advancing Cordeiro to third. Courtney followed, grounding out to second, scoring Cordeiro to secure Quinnipiac's 5-0 win.
In game two, the two teams remained scoreless until Quinnipiac got on the board in the bottom of the third.
Sarah Heimbach (Greenwich, New York) led the frame off with a double, then moved to third on an error. Emily Czaja (Palmer, Massachusetts) then reached on a fielder's choice to set up runners up on first and third with one out. In the middle of Miranda Magana's (Santa Paula, California) at-bat, the Bobcats attempted a double-steal, resulting in Czaja being thrown out at second, but Heimbach scoring to give Quinnipiac a 1-0 lead.
Marchuk added to Quinnipiac's lead after hitting a one-out RBI single that scored Drake to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
Long cruised through six innings but ran into a bit of trouble in the seventh. After recording the first two outs, Long gave up back-to-back doubles to cut Quinnipiac's lead to one. However, Long was able to secure the win after forcing a groundout to end the game.
The Bobcats will be back in action on Saturday, April 1st, when Quinnipiac hosts MAAC rival Rider for a doubleheader scheduled for noon and 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Herzog, Casey (4-7)
L: Pereira, Melissa (1-6)
Batting:
2B: Drake, Rebecca 1 ; Cordeiro, Keala 1 ; Larsen, Erin 1 ; Marchuk, Rachel 1
RBI: Cordeiro, Keala 1 ; Larsen, Erin 1 ; Courtney, Lexi 1 ; Troyan, Taylor 1
SF: Cordeiro, Keala 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Herzog, Casey 1 ; Drake, Rebecca 1 ; Cordeiro, Keala 1 ; Courtney, Lexi 1 ; Marchuk, Rachel 1
SB: Marchuk, Rachel 1
