Durando's Two-Hit Gem Leads Softball To 2-0 Triumph Over Florida A&M
BOX SCORE I SEASON STATS
BOCA RATON, Fla. – In her first collegiate start, freshman pitcher Devin Durando led the University at Albany softball team to a 2-0 victory over Florida A&M Sunday at the Florida Atlantic Invitational. With the win, UAlbany improved to 3-2 on the season.
Durando (1-0) recorded 12 strikeouts and held the Rattlers to just two scattered hits in seven innings to pick up her first career win.
“Devin pitched a great game,” said head coach Chris Cannata. “She got out of some big jams. I was impressed by how composed our young pitchers were this weekend. They did really well. They threw strikes and got big outs when we needed them.”
Kenya Pereira took the loss for Florida A&M in the pitchers' duel, as she allowed three hits and both runs in the sixth inning.
A scoreless stalemate through five frames, UAlbany broke onto the board, as Elizabeth Snow and Nicole Parks reached base on back-to-back hit by pitches. Alexa Toole advanced the pair with a sacrifice bunt, and junior Kelly Costello brought in what would be the game-winning run with a single through the left side. Senior Jess Tate followed with an RBI groundout to first, giving the Great Danes a 2-0 advantage.
Displaying composure under pressure, Durando worked her way out of a first-and-third situation in the fourth and a bases loaded jam in the fifth. However, in the final frame, Durando left little drama, as she sat the Rattlers down in order to clinch the victory.
Offensively, the Great Danes totaled four hits in the clash as Kayla Bailey (1-for-3), Marlin Solano (1-for-2), Costello (1-for-2), and Linsdey Haskell (1-for-1) each had one.
“This weekend gave us a good idea of what we need to get better at and what we need to focus on before we get back into game action in the next tournament,” added Cannata.
Up next, UAlbany will compete in the Winthrop University Tournament in Rockhill, S.C. March 6-8.
