FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 19, 2015) – Stevens Institute of Technology softball senior Kayla Berardi recorded her 500^th career strike out Thursday in the Ducks 7-1 win over The College of Brockport.
 
The win was followed by a 5-2 win over Lasell College to continue the Ducks historic 8-0 start. The losses dropped Brockport and Lasell to 5-6 and 3-7 respectively. 
 
Stevens 7, Brockport 1
 
Both teams traded zeroes in the first before the Ducks built their lead in the top of the second. A pair of walks and a bunt single loaded the bases with one out where sophomore Gina Schnecker singled up the middle to score sophomores Jessica Rees and Emily Sellitti.
 
Berardi retired six of the next seven allowing Stevens to build its lead in the fourth. Freshman Lauren Shirley worked a two-out walk with nobody on, and reached second after Schnecker was hit by a pitch. With two on and two outs, junior Gavriella Risman-Jones ripped an RBI single to left to put Stevens up 3-0.
 
Berardi continued her dominance with scoreless innings the fourth, fifth and sixth before a Sellitti two run homer and a two run Brockport error ballooned the lead to 7-0 in the seventh.
 
The runs were more than enough for Berardi who surrendered a Brockport run in the bottom frame before striking out the final two batters of the game to seal the win.
 
Sellitti led the Ducks with three hits and two RBIs while Schecker added a hit and two RBIs. Berardi moved her record to 4-0 in the nine strike out performance.
 
Stevens 5, Lasell 2
 
Lasell struck first with a run in the second, but the Ducks answered their next time up with three in the third. With the bases loaded and two outs, senior Jamie DeGennaro, Sellitti and freshman Olivia Gemma walked in consecutive at bats to put the Ducks up 3-1.
 
A Lasell homer in the fourth cut the deficit down to one, but Gemma was able to limit the damage with scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth.
 
Looking for insurance, Gemma ripped an RBI single in the seventh to score one before freshman Corinne Loncar followed with an RBI single in the next at bat.
 
The runs were enough for Gemma who worked around a two out single in the seventh to clinch the win.
 
Gemma struck out five in the complete game effort to stay unbeaten, while DeGennaro, Sellitti and Loncar chipped-in with RBIs.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Ducks will conclude their Florida trip tomorrow with a 9 a.m. game against Knox College followed by an 11 a.m. rematch with the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
 
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