Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (April 9, 2013) – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team kicked off its final home stand of the season against Fairleigh Dickinson-College at Florham on Tuesday afternoon, dropping both games of the doubleheader, 8-7 and 9-5.

FDU-Florham improves to 13-9 on the season while Stevens drops to 2-22.
 

FDU-Florham 8, Stevens 7

The Devils threatened to score early as they put runners on first and second base with just one out, but a sharp lineout to second and a groundout to shortstop got sophomore Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) out of the inning.

Junior shortstop Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a single and was joined on base by freshman left fielder Gavriella Risman-Jones (New Boston, N.H.) on another single, but the heart of the order could not bring either home.  A double play ended the top of the second inning for the Devils and the Ducks nearly capitalized as freshman second baseman Sydney Spitz (Shelton, Conn.) singled with two outs, stole second base and advanced to third on an errant throw by the catcher, but a sharp grounder kept the Ducks off the board.

FDU-Florham put runners on first and second in the top of the third inning but again were unable to score.  This time, Stevens took advantage of another DeFeo leadoff single.  DeFeo stole second, knocking the ball out of the second baseman's glove as she slid into the bag, and slid under the tag at third to put runners on the corners with just one out.  Freshman right fielder Kelsey Dempsey (Broomfield, Colo.) also stole second on the next pitch, and senior catcher Clair Strom (El Paso, Texas) singled both in on a sharp liner off the third baseman's glove to put the Ducks up, 2-0.
Both pitchers retired the side in the fourth inning, but the Devils pushed three runs across the plate in the top of the fifth to take a one-run lead.  Senior Karla Babb (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) singled, stole second and advanced to third base on a passed ball with just one out, then scored on a single by freshman centerfielder Jenna Appello (Forked River, N.J.).  The Devils got runners to second and third base, still with one out, and scored both on a sacrifice fly and throwing error on a stolen base attempt.

Stevens responded immediately as Strom brought Dempsey home on a double and sophomore first baseman Noelle Mulligan (Staten Island, N.Y.) drove in two more on another double, putting the Ducks up 5-3.

The lead was short-lived, however, as FDU-Florham loaded the bases on a single up the middle, an error on a fielder's choice and a well-placed bunt for Appello to clear them with a grand slam, giving FDU-Florham the 7-5 lead.
Spitz led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and reached third base, but with two outs the Ducks could not get her home.  The Devils then tacked on what would prove to be the game-winning run in the top of the seventh, scoring on a throwing error to go up 8-5.  The Ducks got two back in the bottom of the frame as Strom belted a two-run homer to straightaway center, but a trio of groundouts left Stevens one run short.

Strom led the Ducks at the plate, going 3-4 with a double, home run, two runs and five RBI.  DeFeo and Risman-Jones each had multi-hit games as well, while Dempsey scored three runs.  DeFeo and Dempsey also stole one base each while Spitz swiped two.  Sandone allowed just one earned run in suffering the loss.

Appello was 3-4 with a home run, stolen base, two runs and five RBI while four other Devils recorded two hits apiece.  Babb surrendered six earned runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out one over seven innings.
 

FDU-Florham 9, Stevens 5

FDU-Florham jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning, loading the bases with just one out and pushing three runs across the plate on a pair of singles and a walk.  The Devils added two more in the third inning and another in the fourth to go up by eight before the Ducks finally got on the board.

Needing at least one run to extend the game, Stevens loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the fifth and scored twice on a walk and a hit-by-pitch.  FDU-Florham got a leadoff home run from junior designated player Sarah Lima (Stanfordville, N.Y.) in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 9-2, but the Ducks got three more back in the bottom of the frame.  Spitz tripled with one out and came home on a sacrifice bunt by senior centerfielder Lauren Hurley (Sparta, N.J.) and Dempsey drove in DeFeo and Risman-Jones on a triple of her own three batters later.  The Ducks could not get anything going in the seventh inning, however, falling 9-5.

Dempsey and Risman-Jones each recorded multi-hit games, with Dempsey also drawing a walk and knocking in three runs while Risman-Jones doubled and scored once.  DeFeo was 1-3 with a walk and two runs while Hurley went 0-1 with a walk, run, RBI and stolen base.  Senior Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.) took the loss in the circle, allowing eight earned runs on seven hits and seven walks while striking out four in five innings.  Sandone surrendered just one hit and one walk while whiffing two in her two innings pitched.

Three Devils recorded two-hit games, with Lima going 2-4 with two runs and one RBI while freshman Sydney Worek (Bordentown, N.J.) went 2-4 with one run and two RBI.  Freshman first baseman Wynne McCann (Boyertown, Pa.) was 1-2 with two walks, two runs, three RBI and a home run.  Worek gave up three earned runs on seven hits, three walks and one hit batter while striking out two over seven innings.

 
DeFeo and Risman-Jones recorded their seventh and fifth multi-hit games, respectively, while Dempsey had her fourth of the spring.  Dempsey's team season-high hitting and on-base streaks of seven games each came to an end in Game One, despite the rookie managing to score three runs.  Strom regained the program record for career home runs (14) with her blast in Game One.

Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks will host Empire 8 foe Houghton College on Friday, April 12 at 3 p.m., although the doubleheader will not count toward the conference standings.  The games will be broadcast via Livestats, which can be accessed here.