From NYU Athletics

The New York University softball team split its doubleheader against Montclair State University on Saturday, March 25, in Montclair, NJ.

The Violets (8-4) won the opener 10-6, but fell in extra innings to the Red Hawks (8-6) by a score of 4-3 in the nitecap.

NYU broke open the first game early, scoring a run in the first inning and six in the second. Rachel Fulton had RBI singles in both innings, while Caroline Saccacio had a two-run single in the second.

The Violets added two more runs in the fourth on Saccacio's two-run double, and a final run in the seventh on Allyson Schmus' RBI single. 

Overall, NYU pounded out 17 hits to back Cassi Parulis' complete-game victory.

"It wasn't a pretty win. Too many (four) errors," Head Coach Now-Allah James explained. "Fortunately, hitting like this helps cover it up." 

Both teams' bats took a bit longer to warm up in the second game, as neither team scored through three innings.

However, the Violets pushed across three runs in the top of the fourth, stringing together four hits, a walk and a hit batsman. Jacqueline Finn was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to account for one run, with RBI singles from Molly Webber and Morgan Clemens scoring the others.      

The NYU fielding problems re-appeared in the bottom of the fifth, as a throwing error by starting pitcher Karissa Zubulake opened the gates for three unearned runs to score as the Red Hawks tied the game 3-3.

The game remained deadlocked into extra innings.

In the top of the ninth, Saccacio tripled with one out, but was stranded. Then, in the top of the 10th with the international rule of starting a runner at second base with no outs invoked for the first time in the game, the Violets could not plate a runner despite having second and third with no outs.

The Red Hawks made the visitors pay for that in the bottom of the frame, as they plated the winning run on another NYU throwing error, this time by Webber at third base on an attempted sacrifice bunt.

"We were our own worst enemy again," James admitted. "We had plenty of opportunities to score (the Violets left 13 runners on base), but could not come through. I guess it's fitting that we lost the game on another mistake. It has been our biggest issue so far this season."   

INSIDE THE BOX SCORES

Game #1

- Fulton and Ashley Mains each recorded three hits.

- Saccacio, Schmus, Webber, and Claire Stefanelli (two doubles) each contributed two hits.

- Parulis allowed four earned runs and struck out three batters.

Game #2

- Zubulake went the distance for NYU. None of the runs allowed were earned. She struck out seven and allowed seven hits in her 8+ innings of work. 

- Saccacio added another three hits, while Stefanelli had two.