The New York University softball team swept its two games on Thursday, March 16, at Hancock Park in Clermont, FL. The Violets (4-2) won the opener over Fitchburg State College 5-0 and the nitecap over Western New England University 8-6.

Sophomore Katherine Piorkowski tossed a shutout in the opener, allowing only three hits and striking out three in going the distance in her season debut. 

"Kat did a tremendous job maintaining focus and keeping their hitters off balance," said Head Coach Now-Allah James. "To have this kind of performance in her first outing of the season says a lot."

Piorkowski was aided by an offense that churned out nine hits, including a perfect 4-for-4 game from Ashley Mains. The sophomore right fielder had a double and knocked in a pair of runs. 

Freshman catcher Caroline Saccacio went 2-for-4, including her first collegiate home run. She drove in two runs and scored twice.

"The middle of the lineup (Main and Saccacio batted third and fourth, respectively), really came through for us," James explained.

Diana King led off the game with a walk and came around to score on Mains' single, the only run that the Violets would need. 

In the second game, the Violets used a four-run second inning to break a 1-1 tie and take the lead for good. The big blow was King's two-run double.

Western New England crept back within one following a rash of NYU errors, but a three-run fifth inning produced by Sage Scheiwiller's two-run single and King's bases-loaded walk kept NYU in front. 

The Golden Bears pulled within two in the sixth inning, but Scarlett Murphy came in and shut down the rally, posting her first career save. 

"That was a good win against a a very good team," said James.

Western New England had won eight straight.

"We did what we needed to do to win."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORES:

vs. Fitchburg:

- King scored two runs.

- Molly Webber had a hit and a RBi.

- Rachel Fulton contributed two sacrifice bunts.

vs. Western New England

- King and Scheiwiller each drove in three runs.

- King started on the mound and went four innings to record her first win of the season. She allowed one earned run.

- Murphy went 1.1 innings to close the game.

The Violets return to action at 8:00 am on Friday, March 17. They will face Macalester College in Leesburg, FL.