Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Jessica Dempsey (Stratford, Conn.) extended her streak to 29.2 innings without allowing earned run to preserve a 4-3 victory for the Southern Connecticut State University softball team in game two of a Thursday afternoon doubleheader against Northeast-10 rival American International College from Groff Field in Springfield, Mass. The host Yellow Jackets took game one by a score of 3-1 to manage a split.

After the twin bill, the Owls are now 21-24 overall and 14-10 in the Northeast-10. American International now sits at 17-22 on the season overall and 8-16 in conference play.

The Owls jumped out to an early lead in game one, plating a two-out run in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Megan Caporossi (Northford, Conn.) started the offense by drawing a walk and then moved into scoring position via a wild pitch. After junior Brittany Gandley (Holbrook, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to extend the inning, junior Monica Savarese delivered with a single to rack up her 22nd RBI of the season and give the Owls a fast 1-0 advantage.

Unfortunately for the Owls, Savarese's RBI single was the first of only two hits that the team would manage against Yellow Jackets' starter Sara Swepston in the game. American International knotted the score at 1-1 in their half of the first courtesy of a single by Tara DeMontier. The home team then took the lead in the third frame on a two-run single by Deanna Zanetti to run the score its eventual final of 3-1.

In the nightcap, the Owls offense once again jumped out to a first inning lead. Sophomore Julianne Flood (Poughquag, N.Y.) led off the game with an infield single, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch to setup an RBI opportunity. Caporossi, the Owls' offensive leader this season, cashed in on the chance with a base hit to plate the game's first run.

The hosts grabbed the lead in the second frame with a trio of runs. Nicole Benoit smacked an RBI double to tie the score at 1-1, and the Yellow Jackets added a pair of unearned runs later in the inning to build a 3-1 advantage.

The Owls took a run back in the third frame by notching an unearned tally of their own. Flood drew a one-out walk to start the scoring threat and advanced into scoring position when sophomore Khristle Lee (Aztec, N.M.) battled to a free pass as well. A fielding miscue by the home team from Springfield, Mass. then allowed Flood to score her second run of the contest.

Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher Nicole Marcelynas (Watertown, Conn.) settled down and stifled the Yellow Jackets' bats, allowing only one base runner in the third, fourth and fifth frames while the offense chipped away at the lead.

In the sixth inning, the Owls persistence finally came to fruition as the squad tied the score and eventually took the lead. Caporossi kicked off the rally with a one-out double. Gandley, the next batter, promptly singled to drive in Caporossi and knot the score at 3-3. With two down in the frame and Gandley still at first, junior Christina Wolf (Newtown, Conn.) came through with an RBI double to bring her teammate around the score the go-ahead run.

With the score now at 4-3 in favor of Southern Connecticut, the Owls turned to their senior ace to close the door. Dempsey struck out two and allowed only one hit over the final two innings to preserve the one-run victory and pick up her first save of the season. The Stratford, Conn. native has now hurled 29.2 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run over eight appearances. The Owls have been victorious in all of Dempsey's last eight appearances, and the pitcher herself is 3-0 in that span.

Marcelynas hurled four innings of relief to earn the win today and improve to 4-3 on the season. The sophomore allowed one earned run off of five hits and one base-on-balls.

Flood, Caporossi and Wolf all went 2-for-3 from the plate to account for six of the Owls' seven hits in the game..

The Southern Connecticut softball team will be back in action on Saturday, April 26, as they head to Manchester, N.H. to challenge Saint Anselm College in a Northeast-10 Conference twin bill. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 12 p.m. from South Athletic Field.