Early Offense Helps Lift UB Softball To Home Sweep Over Southern Connecticut State

Bridgeport, Conn.-The University of Bridgeport softball team used early runs in both games to help propel the squad to a non-conference doubleheader sweep over the visiting Southern Connecticut State University Owls in Seaside Park on Wednesday afternoon.  The host Purple Knights took game one, 8-2, and completed the sweep with a 5-3 victory in the nightcap.  UB is now 15-17 overall, and SCSU slip to 8-20 so far in 2018.

In the opener, Bridgeport raced out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning and never looked back, as the team banged out 14 hits.  Six different Purple Knights, Elyssa Marmolejo (Fr., Rialto, Calif.), Samantha Sabor (Soph., Plainfield, Ill.), Kaira Ramon (Fr., Stamford, Conn.), Yalitza Rodriguez (Sr., Freeport, N.Y.), Abbigail Blanchard (Soph, Pawcatuck, Conn.) and Jordan Hillyer (Windham, N.H.), each had two hits in game one, and Sabor drove in two runs with a first-inning double.

Freshman Brittany Prock (Sunnyvale, Calif.) picked up the win in the pitching circle in game one to raise her season mark to 2-0 working four innings in which she allowed two runs (both earned) on seven hits.  Senior Amanda Staheli (Pecatonica, Ill.) worked three scoreless innings to close out the contest to pick up her first save of the season to go along with seven wins.  In those three innings, Amanda allowed only two hits, and she struck out six without issuing a base on balls.

In game two, Bridgeport led 5-0 after four innings and held on for the win.  Sophomore Allison Luzzi (East Haven, Conn.) continued to swing a hot bat for UB, as she went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in.  Luzzi led the nightcap off for the hosts at the plate with her seventh home run of the year.

Freshman pitcher Miranda Hillman (Placentia, Calif.) pitched extremely well for Bridgeport in the second game to even her season mark at 1-1, as she fired six brilliant innings in which she did not allow an earned run on six hits.  Hillman stuck out seven Owls and walked only one on the day.  Sophomore Ashley Eisnor (Medford, Mass.) closed out the game with three consecutive strike outs to earn her first save of 2018.

The UB softball is right back in action at home on Thursday afternoon as the Purple Knights return to East Coast Conference action hosting Queens (N.Y.) College.  First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.