Softball Opens NEC Play With A Sweep Over FDU

The Central Connecticut State softball team got its 2026 NEC schedule off to a flying start on a blustery Saturday afternoon in New Britain, as the Blue Devils swept a doubleheader from FDU, winning game one, 7-3, and completing the sweep with a 9-1 run-rule victory in six innings.

GAME ONE INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:  CCSU 7 FDU 3

Pitching Information: W: Hamilton (4-1) L: Sencion (0-4)  Save: none

Records:  CCSU (5-8, 1-0 NEC) FDU (3-13, 0-1 NEC)

Location:  CCSU Softball Field | New Britain, Conn.

KEY MOMENTS

• After FDU scored a run to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, Reagan Vunak blasted a three-run homer to right center to give CCSU a 3-1 lead which it never relinquished.
• Vunak, who went 2-for-2 with a walk in the opener, drove in another run with a single in the third.
• Pinch hitter Sophia LoPiccolo plated two runs with a sacrifice fly in the CCSU fifth.
• Liz Hamilton allowed a single run in the second inning and two in the sixth to earn her fourth win of 2026.
• Kristina Bozek went 2-for-3 at the plate in game one as part of a seven-hit Blue Devils' offensive attack in the opener.

GAME TWO INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:  CCSU 9 FDU 1

Pitching Information: W: Strunk (2-2) L: Dollard (0-3)  Save: none

Records:  CCSU (6-8, 2-0 NEC) FDU (3-14, 0-2 NEC)

Location:  CCSU Softball Field | New Britain, Conn.

KEY MOMENTS

• FDU again grabbed a 1-0 lead in the nightcap, but the hosts responded for nine straight runs to post the run-rule victory.
• CCSU scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning on solo RBI singles by Ava Cino and Stella Gasper, a wild pitch and a two-RBI base knock by Sophia LoPiccolo.
• Stella Gasper, who went 2-for-3 in game two, drive in two more runs with a double in the bottom of the second.
• Grace Lawton, who along with Ashlyn Desaulniers went 3-for-3 at the in the nightcap, hit a solo home run in fourth inning to make the score 8-1 in favor of the Blue Devils, and then she ended the contest with another solo blast leading off the bottom of the sixth.
• After allowing a run on four straight base hits to open the top of the first, Hailey Strunk picked up her second win of the year shutting out the Knights for the next five innings.  Strunk did not issue a walk during her time in the circle on Saturday

NOTES

• CCSU blasted three home runs in the two games on Saturday scoring a total of 16 runs on 18 total hits.
• Sophia LoPiccolo had four runs batted in the two games.
• The Blue Devils have now won three consecutive games heading into Sunday's series finale.
• Hailey Strunk has won two games in the pitching circle with Saturday's victory, as she also earned a win against Fairfield on Tuesday.
• Grace Lawton, Stella Gasper and Ava Cino all had hits on both game of Saturday's doubleheader.
• The Blue Devils did not commit an error in either game in Saturday's sweep.

UP NEXT

The same two teams will close out their three-game series on Sunday with a 12 noon single game at the CCSU softball field.