From NYU Athletics
After dropping the opener, the New York University softball team earned a split by winning the nitecap of a University Athletic Association (UAA) doubleheader at Washington University in St. Louis on Friday, May 4.
After the Violets (20-18, 5-9) dropped the opener 9-7, the visitors rebounded quickly to take the second game over the Bears (14-14, 6-8) by a score of 5-1.
Wash U. jumped on top with two runs in the first inning of the first game, but the Violets quickly tied things up in the second on Ashley Mains' steal of home and Mary Tindall's RBI groundout.
However, the Bears plated four in the second to take the lead for good.
NYU cut its deficit in half on Diana King's two-run homer in the top of the fourth, but Wash U. scored two in the bottom of the frame and a singleton in the sixth to account for its final runs.
The Violets rallied in the seventh as Caroline Saccacio's three-run home run brought them within two. The visitors then loaded the bases with one out, but failed to bring home the tying runs.
Five Violets (King, Saccacio, Tindall, Claire Stefanelli, Dakota Damiani) each had two of NYU's 11 hits.
In the nitecap, the Violets fell behind quickly again as the Bears scored a run in the bottom of the first. However, that was the last run the home team would score as NYU starter Olivia Mould held them off the scoreboard the rest of the day.
NYU's path to victory was established in a four-run fifth inning, beginning with Stefanelli's single. Four batters latter, Kymber Yamamoto's two-out double gave the Violets their first lead. King knocked in the third run with a single, while the fourth run scored on the Bears' second error of the inning.
NYU's final run came in the sixth on Jacqueline Finn's single.
Mould was masterful in holding the Bears to five hits. She struck out one and did not walk a batter.
"Olivia was terrific in keeping them off the scoreboard after the first and we bounced back well from a disappointing loss," said Head Coach Now-Allah James. "Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going tomorrow."