Hartwig’s 6-for-6 Day Not Enough for Softball at Home Against FDU-Florham

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Freshman Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) batted 3-for-3 in both ends of a doubleheader but the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team suffered 7-1 and 5-2 non-conference losses to Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham (9-14) at Gil Hodges Field on Sunday afternoon.

Game 1: FDU-Florham 7, St. Joseph's 1

The Devils had their first five batters reach safely with four hits and a walk to push across three runs and the Bears escaped further damage stranding runners at second and third with no out.

SJC got on the board in the fourth after Jessica Vento (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) led off with a single, was sacrificed to second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a Hartwig single.

FDU picked the run back up the next half inning and tacked on two more runs in the sixth with a pair of two-out singles. Trailing 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Bears threatened after Hartwig and Nicole Quintana (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) knocked back-to-back singles and both moved into scoring position after a passed ball, but a flyout and a groundout ended the threat.

In addition to Hartwig's 3-for-3 effort, Vivian Tomovich (San Diego, Calif./Serra) finished 2-for-3 with the only other multi-hit game. Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./Saint John Vianney) went the distance in the circle in a losing effort, striking out three.

Game 2: FDU-Florham 5, St. Joseph's 2

The Bears threatened to draw first blood in the second, Hartwig and Quintana both singling and moving to second and third, but couldn't get delivered home. The Devils responded in the top of the third with a Dani Sames triple to score their first run, but the Bears matched them in the home half when Hartwig knocked a two-out double that scored Vento who led off with a walk.

After a scoreless fourth, the Devils posted a solo run in the fifth on a Sames double and the Bears answered once again when Hartwig knocked an opposite-field, two-out single to tie the game back at 2-2.

But FDU countered with three runs on three hits in the sixth and SJC couldn't match the Devils once again, their final six batters retired in order.

Madison Erhardt (Baltimore, Md./Dulaney) took the loss in the circle, striking out two with four earned runs. Jessica Meecham (West Jordan, Utah/Copper Hills) worked a hitless, scoreless frame in relief in the seventh.

For the Bears

• Ashleigh Hartwig extended her hitting streak to nine games with her perfect 6-for-6 day at the plate also driving in all three Bear runs, padding her Skyline lead in RBI (30). She also sits atop the conference in batting (.493) and slugging (.726).
• Jessica Vento, Nicole Quintana, and Vivian Tomovich all hit successfully in both ends of the doubleheader.

Next Up for the Bears

The Bears head to the Garden State for a non-conference twin bill at Drew University on Wednesday, April 10 starting at 3:30 p.m.