After approaching .500 in the conference, Hartford struggles over the week. Brian Izzo | The Informer
With a tough 8-0 loss to Massachusetts last Thursday, the softball team looked to get above .500 in conference play as they would take on Binghamton in three games over the weekend.
Before heading into Saturday’s matchup, the Hawks had a conference record of 4-5, and would hope to add three wins to help improve as they closed in on the end of the season.
However, Hartford would only manage to pull away with a single victory from the three games, losing the first and third with scores of 0-3, and 1-6, respectively. And winning the second game in a close one with a final of 5-3. These losses would put the Hawks at a conference record of 5-7, and a not so pretty overall record of 16-26.
In the first game, the ladies had four hits coming from four different players. Those players being, Amber Andrews, Jenice Aloyo, Kate Wacyk and Jackie Kelly, who all went 1-3 on the day.
A bright spot for the Hawks was pitcher, Zuxana Kudernatschova, who pitched a complete game and allowed only two of three runs scored by the Bearcats. She also struck out seven batters and walked just one.
Hartford would have 12 of its first 13 batters retired in order with the lone runner courtesy of a hit batter. The Hawks first hit of the game came in the bottom of the fifth, a leadoff single to right field from Kelly, the third baseman. Kelly would be stranded at first as the next three were retired in order.
The Bearcats added their final two runs in the sixth inning courtesy of one swing of the bat from designated hitter Tiffany McIntosh as she drove in both runs thanks to a home run to dead center field.
Her home run allowed right fielder Sydney Harbaugh who reached on an infield single to score from first base.
The Hawks threatened in the bottom of the sixth putting runners on the corners before Demi forced the Hawks into a doubleheader to get out of trouble. The Hawks began the inning with three straight singles from the top three in the lineup. Demi would then retire the Hawks in order, the last two on strikeouts.
After Hartford took the first win in the double header with a score of 5-3, things did not go their way in the second game.
The Hawks only managed to score their only run in a 6-1 loss in the bottom of the sixth when Jordan Haines grounded out to the shortstop and let Wacyk score in from third. Wacyk also had two hits on the day, while Aloyo and Kelly had the other two hits in the game.
As for pitching, Kaitlyn Meade received the loss putting her to 4-10 on the season as she gave up three hits, three runs and walked four, only managing to strikeout one of the Bearcats. Kudernatschov and Brittany Beebe came into relief, where both gave up three hits, but Kudernatschov also let in three runs.
The ladies look to redeem themselves in conference play as they head down to UMBC this weekend for a three game series against the Retrievers.