Softball Concludes Play At Citrus Classic

Northern Illinois Box Score ǀ NC State Box Score

ORLANDO – Following a rain-shortened Day Two at the Citrus Classic that interrupted their game against Northern Illinois, the University at Albany softball team resumed play Sunday morning against the Huskies, playing out the remaining three-plus innings, and ultimately winning by the same 3-1 score the team held when play was postponed.

Senior Brittany MacFawn (2-0), the winning pitcher from the opening game against Marshall, started the game against Northern Illinois on Saturday.  When play resumed today, she again took the mound to finish what she started.  The game resumed in the fourth inning with one out and a runner on first with the batter facing a 1-0 count.  MacFawn and her defense never allowed Northern Illinois to add to their one run scored yesterday, and MacFawn herself stranded five runners on the bases.  She also added five strikeouts, bringing her total for the tournament to 18.

The Danes were scheduled to play one game on Sunday, against Lamar, but the weather prompted a change in the schedule, and UAlbany played NC State instead, their would-be second Saturday opponent.  Lamar was removed from the slate to accommodate the schedule change.

UAlbany succumbed to NC State by a score of 2-0, finishing the Citrus Classic with a record of 2-2.  The Danes' two freshman pitchers made their debuts, with Mackenzie Thompson going four innings giving up two runs.  Caitlin Cooper then relieved Thompson, pitching the fifth and sixth innings and allowing no runs.  The freshman allowed seven hits combined.  Offensively, Marlin Solano had two hits, but ultimately UAlbany could not break into the scoreboard in a close game against a pretty good NC State team.

Next up for UAlbany will be another preseason tournament, the Towson Classic in Towson, Maryland.  UAlbany is slated to play Towson and Canisius twice each, and Delaware State once from Friday, March 7 through Sunday, March 9.