Game 1
Game 2

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Jessica Van Alphen (Hudson, N.Y.) tossed a two-hitter while Alyssa Downs (Seymour, Conn.) had two home runs both in the second game as the Southern Connecticut State University softball team was able to split with AIC on Saturday from Judy Groff Field in Springfield, Mass.

In game one, AIC scored the eventual game-winning RBI on an error in the sixth to defeat the Owls, 4-3.

Kelsey Cockrill (Haymarket, Va.) had the loss for SCSU (29-18, 19-9 NE-10 SW) going six innings while allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Elizabeth Habib got the win for AIC (13-27, 9-17 NE-10) going six innings while allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits with four walks and seven strikeouts. Kelsey Malloy earned the save for AIC.

SCSU made it 2-0 with two runs in the top of the first inning. After Brittany Bucko (Wallington, N.J.) was hit by a pitch, Nicole Buch (Darien, Conn.) reached on an error left field, scoring Bucko. In the next at-bat, Kaley Marden (Fremont, Calif.) made it 2-0 with an RBI double to left field, scoring Buch.

AIC would score three runs in the fourth and take a 3-2 lead. With runners on second and third and no outs, AIC made it 2-1 with a double steal after Lyndsey Letourneau stole home while Haley Marchand stole second. After putting runners on second and third with no outs, AIC made it 3-2 when Katie Merrill hit an RBI bunt single that would score two runs after advancing to second on the throw.

In the sixth, the Owls tied the game 3-3 when Buch hit an RBI ground-rule double to right field, scoring pitch-runner Kelly Mitchell (Seymour, Conn.). After a lead-off double from Stacy Pouliot (Ledyard, Conn.), Bucko had a two-out walk before Buch's double.

In the bottom of the sixth, AIC put runners on second and third with one out before Ashleigh St. Peter had an RBI and reaching on an error by Buch, scoring Marchand from third.

In game two, Van Alphen pitched a complete game two-hitter while Downs hit two home runs with six RBI as the Owls defeated AIC 12-2 in six innings.

Van Alphen got the win for SCSU going six innings while allowing two runs on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Erin Gilkes had the loss for AIC going 4.1 innings while allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits with one strikeout.

The Owls went ahead 2-0 in the first after Downs hit her first home run of the game with a two-run shot and two outs, scoring Buch after a double.

AIC tied the game 2-2 in the fourth with two runs. After Marchand was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs, a passed ball moved all of the runners up to score a run. Steph Belanger then tied the game with an RBI sac fly.

SCSU made it 6-2 with four runs in the fifth after Bucko and Downs each hit a two-run home run.

SCSU then put up six runs in the sixth to make it 12-2 with RBI from Kristie Vitulli (Bronx, N.Y.) and Buch, while Downs had a two-run double and Kate Hoffman (Orange, Conn.) had a two-run single.