Bridgeport Softball Opens 2021 Campaign With A Home Sweep Over D'Youville

Bridgeport, Conn.-The University of Bridgeport softball team (2-0, 2-0 ECC) opened its 2021 season with a sweep of East Coast Conference newcomer, the D'Youville College Saints, on Saturday afternoon in Seaside Park, as the Purple Knights posted a 4-3 walk-off win in the opener and took game two, 1-0, behind a stellar pitching performance from sophomore Kaite Burawski (Hartley, Del.).  With the two losses, the Saints are now 5-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

In game one, UB trailed 3-1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Purple Knights came back to tie the game at 3-3 in the frame on an RBI-triple from sophomore Meg McFarland (Monroe, Conn.) and a run-scoring single from senior Elyssa Marmolejo (Rialto, Calf.), who went 3-for-3 at the plate in the opener.  McFarland also had two hits and scored twice in game one.

The opener remained tied until the bottom of the seventh with senior Kaira Ramon (Stamford, Conn.) line a single to left-center field to score McFarland, who opened the inning with an infield single, with the winning run.

Senior Samantha Ferreri (Hauppauge, N.Y.) also had two hits and drove in a run for the winners in game one.

Sophomore Samantha Schiebe (Monroe, Conn.) picked up the win in relief for Bridgeport, working 2.1 scoreless innings in which she allowed with hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

In the nightcap, freshman Hailey Kim (Virginia Beach, Va.), who went 2-for-2 in the game, smacked a two-out RBI single to left field which scored Samantha Ferreri for the only run of the contest, as sophomore Kaite Burawski dominated in the pitching circle.

Burawski fired a one-hit complete game shutout in she struck out 15 batters without issuing a base on base.  In the game, Kaite used a total of 97 pitches, 73 of which were strikes, to twirl her masterpiece.

Up next, the UB softball team will return to action on Saturday April 3 when they travel to Molly College for a 12 noon doubleheader.