From NYU Athletics

The New York University softball team played its first home games of the 2018 season on Saturday, March 24, as the Violets hosted Western Connecticut State University at Bahoshy Field in the Bronx, NY.

The Violets (7-5) defeated the Colonials (1-11) by scores of 4-3 and 21-6.

NYU trailed almost all of game one, falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first and still facing a 3-1 deficit until the bottom of the sixth. In that inning, Ashley Mains hit a RBI double to right field and then scored on a Jordan Stream sacrifice fly to tie the game.

In the bottom of the seventh, with pinch-runner Kymber Yamamoto on first base, Claire Stefanelli singled up the middle. A late throw to third base followed by a throwing error by the third baseman, who attempted to catch Stefanelli as she slid into second, allowed Yamamoto to score the walk-off run.

Scarlett Murphy started the game and pitched six innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out seven. Olivia Mould pitched a scoreless seventh inning to record the victory.

The Violets appeared to learn a lesson about starting strongly, as they took a 9-0 first-inning lead in game two. It was Jacqueline Finn who blew the game open with a grand slam to make the score 6-0.

Mains led off the second inning with a solo home run, kick-starting a five-run frame which brought the score to an insurmountable margin of 14-2. The nitecap certainly turned out to be a walk in the park for NYU, as 15 batters received bases on balls.

Cassi Parulis started the five-inning affair and went three innings to record the victory.  

"It was great to play at home again and start off with a pair of wins," said Head Coach Now-Allah James. "We showed real resiliency in the first game and our confidence obviously carried over to the second one."

Box Score Blurbs:

- Diana King recorded a hit in each game and has at least one knock in all 12 games this season.

-Eighteen different Violets came to the plate in the second game, with 16 reaching base at least once.

- Finn finished with six RBIs in the nitecap.