Brown's Softball Blanks Hartford in Game One of Doubleheader Split

Recap, photo courtesy of Brown's University

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Brown University softball blanked Hartford University, 1-0, in game one – allowing just two hits – and nearly rallied to take game two in an eventual 10-9 setback in nine innings during a non-conference doubleheader at the Hartford Softball Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Bears (7-11) permitted just four runners to reach base in the first game and plated two runs in the top of the seventh to force extras in game two before the Hawks (6-11) came back with two runs in extra innings to split the series.

Between the two games, junior Cat Seitz (Poway, Calif.) went 4-for-8 with her first home run of the year, two doubles, and four RBIs. Junior Sofia Venegas (La Mirada, Calif.) finished the day 4-for-6 with three runs and a triple, and senior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) posted a 4-for-8 effort with a double.

Sophomore Emily Waters (Northridge, Calif.) pitched 8.2 innings on the day, allowing just one earned run and gaining the win in the first contest.

Next, Brown plays at Princeton tomorrow, Wednesday, Mar. 28, with a single game at 3:30 p.m., completing a three-game series that began at Brown this past weekend.

Game 1: Brown 1, Hartford 0

Freshman Grace Ladd and sophomore Emily Waters combined to allow just two hits as Brown blanked Hartford, 1-0, in game one.

The Bears permitted just two hits and one walk and plated one run in the top of the third inning to edge the host Hawks.

Junior Sofia Venegas (La Mirada, Calif.) went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run, senior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) finished 2-for-3, and junior Cat Seitz (Poway, Calif.) posted a double.

Ladd (Boulder, Colo.) pitched 4.0 innings, giving up just one hit in the save (2). Waters (Northridge, Calif.) threw 3.0 innings and allowed just one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in the win (2-3).

For Hartford, Bianca Ross threw a complete-game 7.0 innings, conceding one run on eight hits with no walks and no strikeouts.

In the top of the third, Venegas led off the frame with a triple to left field. Sophomore Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) then put a ball in play into right field that brought Venegas home.

Game 2: Hartford 10, Brown 9 (9 Innings)

Junior Cat Seitz hit her first home run of the season and tallied four RBIs, but Brown's rally came up short in a 10-9 setback to Hartford in nine innings in game two.

The Bears scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to send the game to extra innings tied at 8-8. Each team scored one run in the eighth inning before the Hawks plated the game-winning run in the ninth.

Seitz (Poway, Calif.) finished the game 3-for-5 with her sixth career home run alongside four RBIs, a double, and a run. Senior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) went 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and two runs, and junior Sofia Venegas (La Mirada, Calif.) registered a 2-for-3 effort with two runs, an RBI, and two stolen bases.

For Hartford Danielle Rocheleau went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Elizabeth Newkirk finished 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, and two runs. Bianca Ross gained the win, throwing 1.1 innings without allowing a hit or a run.

Seitz opened the game's scoring with a three-run homer to left field, staking the Bears to a 3-0 edge in the top of the first. Hartford cut the lead to 3-2 in the home half of the frame.

Freshman Anya Schmitz (Santa Barbara, Calif.) pushed the Bears ahead 4-2 with an RBI single to right field in the top of the second. After the Hawks came within 4-3, the Bears gained a 6-3 edge in the top of the fourth with a pair of unearned runs.

Hartford plated five runs between the fourth and fifth frames to claim an 8-6 advantage.

In the top of the seventh, McGregor hit an RBI double to left center, and Seitz followed with an RBI double to center field to knot the score at 8-8 and force extras. Brown took a 9-8 lead in the top of the eight as Venegas drove home a run with a single.

The Hawks responded with a run in the last of the eighth and won the game in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore Emily Waters (Northridge, Calif.) took the loss (2-4), tossing 5.2 innings in relief and allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits.