WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — The Roger Williams University Softball team secured a comeback victory over Marywood University on Friday morning, rallying in the sixth inning to clinch a 7-4 win at the Diamondplex.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks exploded for four runs to take control of the game. Shortstop Shannon Starratt delivered a clutch two-run single to drive in Mckenzie Foley and Hailey Williams, giving Roger Williams a 6-4 lead. Christina Denovellis followed with an RBI single to cap the scoring.
Starratt led the Hawks' offense with three RBIs, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate. Lucy Maurao also had a strong performance, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Williams contributed two hits and scored twice, while Denovellis provided three hits and two RBIs. Catcher Ashley Klingberg reached base three times and stole a base, adding to Roger Williams' aggressive baserunning that resulted in five stolen bases overall.
Reliever Ava Fairbanks (1-0) earned the win for the Hawks, the first in her collegiate career, pitching two innings while allowing one run on three hits and striking out one. Starter Reagan Germano kept the team within striking distance, working five innings while striking out six and allowing three runs, two of which were earned.
Marywood (2-7) took an early lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Renee McDonald, scoring Kat Davis, who had reached base on a walk and advanced on a passed ball. The Pacers remained ahead until the third, when Roger Williams evened the score on an RBI single by Maurao that drove in Williams.
Marywood regained the lead in the fifth after a leadoff double by Tori Para set up an RBI single from Marissa Hoffman scoring unearned, putting the Pacers up 2-1. However, Roger Williams responded in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on an RBI single by Starratt and a base hit from Denovellis, taking the lead, 3-2.
In the sixth, Marywood briefly went ahead once more as Para's RBI single, and Riley Marshall's single down the right field line, each added a run as the Pacers took a 4-3 advantage. The Hawks, however, came storming back in their half of the inning. Klingberg drew a leadoff walk and stole second, setting the stage for Williams' infield single. A passed ball allowed Klingberg to score the tying run, and after a walk to Foley, Starratt delivered the go-ahead two-run single. Denovellis followed with a run-scoring hit to put the game out of reach.
Para (1-3) took the loss for Marywood after allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits in relief.
Roger Williams (4-5, 0-0 CNE) will close out the squad's Spring Break trip to Florida, with a contest against Husson.
