On a day meant to celebrate the careers of six seniors, the Quinnipiac softball team showed exactly the fight that defined their team.
Down 5-0 after the first inning, the Bobcats clawed all the way back to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth before Sacred Heart erupted for four runs in the seventh to steal a 9-6 victory on Saturday.
The loss dropped Quinnipiac to 21-19 and 16-12 in the MAAC, while Sacred Heart improved to 23-29 and 16-11 in the MAAC. The Bobcats had already clinched a MAAC Tournament berth after splitting a doubleheader against the Pioneers on Friday, but Senior Day made the outcome sting all the more.
“I was really proud of them and how we fought back today,” head coach Hillary Smith said. “The first inning was not our best inning, but it shows a lot of character, and I told them that is what championship teams do.”
Sacred Heart jumped all over sophomore right hander Shannon Kendall in the first. Sophomore utility player Elle Leckrone doubled to left center to lead off and consecutive singles from freshman infielder Ella Stoops, senior catcher Charlene Davis and sophomore outfielder Alexa Barbera kept the line moving.
Senior infielder Nicole Henke two run double into the left center gap did the most damage and a throwing error on the relay allowed her to score unearned as the Pioneers grabbed a 5-0 lead.
The Bobcats chipped away immediately. Senior outfielder Ally Hochstadter singled up the middle in the second and senior shortstop Natalia Apatiga roped an RBI double to left center to make the score 5-1. Quinnipiac trimmed the deficit to 5-3 in the third when a dropped fly ball by Barbera in right allowed senior catcher Kennedy DeMott and Hochstadter to score unearned.
“Every day, we work hard to prove people wrong, to show that we belong in this conference,” Hochstadter said.
Kendall settled in after the rocky first frame, with her best stretch in the fifth and sixth. Sacred Heart put runners in scoring position with no outs in consecutive innings and Kendall stranded all four without allowing a run.
Senior outfielder Mary Fogg provided the spark in the top of the fourth. With two outs, senior outfielder Kaelyn Freed lifted a fly ball to center that looked like a sure hit. Fogg had other plans as she lay out at full extension for a diving catch that sent energy through the dugout.
“I think we needed an energy shift,” Fogg said. “I was luckily the one to make the catch, but if that ball went to anybody out there, I would have been 100 percent confident in them making it.”
After Sacred Heart pulled senior pitcher Emily Health after 3.2 innings for freshman pitcher Emily Campion, the payoff arrived in the sixth. With two outs, Fogg singled up the middle and senior infielder Sofia Vega singled to shortstop before DeMott lined a triple down the right field line to score both and give the Bobcats a 6-5 lead.
“It was not really even a question of if we were going to get there,” Fogg said. “There was no doubt in our minds.”
The seventh inning told a different story. Leckrone singled to lead off, junior infielder Cierra Bender singled to right and Stoops drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out.
Davis delivered a two run single to retake the lead and sacrifice flies from Barbera and Henke pushed Sacred Heart ahead 9-6. Kendall took the loss, surrendering 12 hits and nine runs in 116 pitches.
After the final out, both teams gathered for the Senior Day ceremony. Each senior’s jersey number was painted on the field as the players walked through a tunnel of bats held by their teammates and confetti poppers went off around them.
Smith fought back tears when asked about the senior class.
“They are difference makers,” Smith said. “They brought pride back to this program and I do not know if there will ever be a senior class like them.”
The Bobcats head into the MAAC Tournament projected as the No. 5 seed and Fogg made it clear that her teammates have no intention of letting their final season end quietly.
“We wanted it so bad every year, but this year it just feels like it is really within our grasp,” Fogg said. “I have every ounce of confidence in this group that we are going to get it done.”
