Softball Falls in NEC Tournament Opener
The Central Connecticut softball team dropped its first game of the 2011 Northeast Conference Tournament on Friday morning. The #4 Blue Devils fell to #1 Robert Morris 1-0 in their first ever NEC postseason play. Both pitchers were outstanding as neither allowed an earned run in the game. The loss drops the Blue Devils to 29-20-1 on the season, and forces them into the first elimination game of the tournament.
The Central Connecticut softball team dropped its first game of the 2011 Northeast Conference Tournament on Friday morning. The #4 Blue Devils fell to #1 Robert Morris 1-0 in their first ever NEC postseason play. Both pitchers were outstanding as neither allowed an earned run in the game. Senior Elizabeth Montemurro was the tough luck loser for the Blue Devils. The loss drops the Blue Devils to 29-21-1 on the season, and forces them into the first elimination game of the tournament.
The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the first inning when Robert Morris used a pair of infield singles and an error to score their only run. Allie Patton led off for Robert Morris with a slow roller down the third baseline for an infield hit. Sophomore Macy Stefanski tried to make a play on the ball, but over threw first base allowing the runner to move to second. A passed ball allowed her to move to third, she then scored on an infield single to the right side by Annie Dubovec.
Sophomore Kelsey Barlow got the Blue Devils in the hit column with an infield single, but she was stranded at second base.
Robert Morris started a rally in the bottom of the third inning, but Montemurro worked her way out of the jam with a pop up and a strike out.
Senior Amanda Dilworth led off the fourth with a deep drive to centerfield. The ball was dropped by the centerfielder sending Dilworth into second base with no outs. Senior Kat Knowles sacrificed Dilworth to third, but the Blue Devils were unable to score the runner.
Senior Kendall Sours picked up the Blue Devils second hit with an infield single in the top of the fifth inning. Again, Central was unable to put together a serious threat.
Montemurro continued to pitch well throughout the game. She scattered seven hits and allowed one unearned run over six innings. She struck out five Colonials and walked only one. She falls to 13-8 on the season with the loss.
Sours and Barlow had the hits for the Blue Devils.
Central will return to the field this afternoon at approximately 2:45 p.m. to play the loser of Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac in an elimination game.
