WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (March 5, 2023) – Senior
Olivia Warner delivered a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team defeated New York University 4-3 Sunday to sweep a non-conference doubleheader at Waterfront Park.
The walkoff victory was the Ducks' second come-from-behind win of the day. In the opener, junior
Carolyn Yahn delivered a two-run single as part of a four-run sixth inning as the Ducks rallied to top the Violets 4-1. The doubleheader sweep moved the Ducks' record to 5-3.
Hannah Becker had two RBI and Marina Egbert finished with three hits to pace NYU, who fell to 1-3. The teams have split the last six meetings and the Ducks' sweep of NYU was the first since 2015.
The winning rally began with a leadoff single by shortstop
Jessica Guerrero against Sophia Skerik (0-1), who entered the game at the start of the inning. Fifth-year
Meg Halloran followed with a well-placed bunt single to put a pair of runners on. On a double-steal, pinch-runner
Lexi Gregule was caught stealing with Halloran advancing into scoring position. On a 1-1 pitch, Warner delivered a stinging ball to right field to easily score the speedy Halloran with the winning run, setting off a celebration on the field.
Warner's heroics marked her first collegiate walkoff hit.
"Great day for the squad," head coach
Emily Kaczmarek said. "High energy, total belief in one another, good chemistry. The energy is just contagious, we're never out of it."
The Ducks were in a position to ultimately win the game after first-year
Ella Tozduman (3-1) stranded the go-ahead run at third in the top half of the seventh. Behind in the count 2-0 against NYU centerfielder Chloe Blanc, Tozduman induced a hard-hit grounder that riccoched off the Ducks' hurler and into the glove of first-year second baseman
Joy Pikul, who had to make a fast read on where the carom would end up. Pikul quickly fielded the ball and fired to first to nab Blanc by a step. After a shaky first, Tozduman scattered just four hits over the final six innings to earn the victory.
Runs in both the fifth and sixth innings drew the Ducks even with the Violets after NYU scored three times in the first to take the lead. Warner singled up the middle to score Halloran in the third for the Ducks' first run of the game. Yahn added an RBI single in the fifth and sophomore
Madison Subbiondo homered for the second time in three games to draw Stevens even.
It was a pitcher's duel in the opener. Senior
Erin Kreis and Egbert matched zeroes through the first five innings. Kreis allowed just two hits and struck out three in a no-decision. Egbert (1-1) produced a big hit at the plate, connecting for a one-out double off first-year
Ashley Allen (1-0) in the sixth A wild pitch moved pinch-runner Olivia de Hesselle to third and she came around to score on a sacrifice fly with the game's first run.
The Ducks finally broke through against Egbert in their half of the sixth. First-year
Emily Wohlleber had a pinch-hit double down the right-field line. Graduate student
Siobhan Cottell reentered the game to run for Wohlleber at second. Senior
Alex Schoellig placed a bunt perfectly between Egbert and hard-charging third baseman Mia Lemmon for a single. Schoellig promptly stole second and both runners would come around to score on Yahn's two-strike single to left. Subbiondo and Guerrero connected for run-scoring doubles as the Ducks plated four runs in the frame.
Allen worked around an error to retire the Violets in the seventh to earn her first collegiate victory.
Up Next: Softball heads to Galloway, New Jersey for a twinbill at Stockton on Mar. 8. The Ospreys have won the last eight meetings between the teams. First pitch for game number one is set for 2:30. A link for live stats is posted to StevensDucks.com.
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