Game One Boxscore

Game Two Boxscore

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Brittany Bucko (Wallington, N.J.) finished 4-for-7 with two home runs and five runs batted in, while classmate Alyssa Downs (Seymour, Conn.) went 3-for-6 with a homer and five RBI to power the No. 22 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Franklin Pierce on Friday. The Owls won the twinbill by scores of 6-2 and 10-0 (five innings).

Southern Connecticut improved to 19-3 overall and 7-1 in Northeast-10 Conference play. The Ravens dropped to 7-10, 5-3.

SCSU opened the scoring in game one with four runs in the third. Shawna Mallory (Simi Valley, Calif.) singled with one out before Bucko connected for a homerun to put the Owls on the board. Nicole Buch (Darien, Conn.) ignited another charge by reaching on an error before Kristin Whitley (North Andover, Mass.) doubled and scored on a throwing error by the Ravens.

FPU scored a single run in the fourth to get within 4-1 but the Owls tacked on two more in the fifth on a two-run homer by Downs, her ninth of the year.

The Ravens scored a single run in the sixth but would get no closer in a 6-2 final.

Kelsey Cockrill (Haymarket, Va.) went the distance for the Owls to improve to 9-1 on the year. She allowed seven hits and struck out 10 in the victory.

The Owls struck early and often in the nightcap. Buch ignited a first inning rally with a one out walk and, one out later, Downs brought her in with a RBI triple. Kate Hoffman (Orange, Conn.) followed with a RBI single to make it 2-0.




SCSU tacked on four more runs in the second. Julie Muscarella (Suffield, Conn.) walked and moved to second when Kristie Vituli (Bronx, N.Y.) reached on an error. A single by Bucko loaded the bases before Whitley drew a walk to force in a run. Downs drove in two more with single before Hoffman added a RBI single for a 6-0 cushion.

The Owls added four more runs in the third. Muscarella again started the rally with a walk. She came in to score on a RBI double by Vituli. Allison Lehner (East Islip, N.Y.) reached on an error to put two runners on before Bucko cleared the bases with a three-run homer.

Jayme Larson (Aurora, Colo.) improved to 9-1 with a complete game shutout in the nightcap. She allowed just one hit and struck out four.

The Owls return to action on Sunday for a home doubleheader against St. Michael's. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.