STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Wagner softball team won both games of its doubleheader on Saturday, blanking New Haven in each contest.
Both teams had chances to break open the scoring early in the first game. In the bottom of the first, the Seahawks had the bases loaded thanks to two hits and a hit batsman, but they couldn't bring the runs home. Later, in the top of the third, the Chargers had runners on the corners with one out. But junior starting pitcher
Karson Zavala stranded the pair with a strikeout and a pop fly.
The Wagner bats finally broke through in the fifth inning. With two outs and the bases empty, freshman center fielder
Ava Nawrocki doubled on the first pitch she saw, then scored when sophomore designated player
Alayna Giampolo singled two pitches later.
The Seahawks added one more run in the sixth inning on an RBI base-hit from junior third baseman
Sydnie Trujillo, then Zavala finished her complete-game shutout with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh, sealing Wagner's 2-0 game one win. The Chino Hills native struck out 10 hitters while not allowing a single walk.
In game two, freshman starting pitcher
Samantha Lotus picked up where Zavala left off. She threw a New Haven runner out at the plate to prevent the Chargers from scoring first, then struck out the next batter to end the inning.
The Seahawks manufactured all three of their runs in the third inning. Trujillo got the scoring started with a bases-loaded walk, then senior shortstop
Payton Janicki's slow ground out to the right side allowed another runner to score. With runners on second and third and two outs, junior second baseman
Leilani Gonzales scored on a wild pitch.
Lotus took the reins from there, as she pitched four more scoreless innings to cap off the 3-0 win, and a doubleheader sweep. Lotus finished the game with three strikeouts and five stranded runners.
This was the first time the Seahawks blanked the same opponent in a doubleheader since March of 2021, when they defeated Colgate with two shutouts.
The Seahawks will try for the sweep Sunday, March 29 on the Wagner Softball Field. First pitch of the series finale is set for 12 p.m.
