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No. 2 Central Connecticut and No. 4 LIU Brooklyn each won on the opening day of the 2013 NEC Softball Tournament being held on the campus of Robert Morris University in Moon Township, PA.  The Blue Devils stopped No. 3 Monmouth, 5-1, in the first game of the afternoon, and was followed by the Blackbirds' 7-3 upset of top-seeded RMU in the nightcap.  CCSU and LIU meet on Friday at 10:30 am with a spot in the title game at stake, while RMU and MU square off at 1:00 pm in an elimination game.  Both contests can be viewed live and for free on NEC Front Row.

Moon Township, PA -Backed by strong performances from NEC Player of the Year Kat Malcolm and All-NEC First Team Pitcher Laura Messina, Central Connecticut defeated Monmouth 5-1 in the first game of the 2013 NEC Softball Tournament. Malcolm knocked a two-run homer in the top of the first to give the Blue Devils the lead.

Central Connecticut loaded the bases with no outs, but Monouth's pitcher, Lauren Sulick,. an ALL-NEC Second Team selection, was able to retire the next three batters to keep the score 2-0. 

The score remained just that until the fourth, when the Blue Devils scored three runs. Malcolm drove in Kate Schmidt. An RBI single by Nicole Springer followed, before an RBI fly out to center field sent Malcolm home, to make the score 5-0.

In the seventh, Vanessa Cardoza, Kayla Wesier and Shannon Fitzgerald led off with three straight singles, including an RBI Fitzgerald to put the Hawks on the board, but Messina posted her seventh strikeout of the game to end the inning and secure the 5-1 win for Central Connecticut.

The Blue Devils will now play LIU Brooklyn tomorrow at 10:30 a.m, while Monmouth will meet Robert Morris at 1:00 pm.

Game 2
#4 LIU Brooklyn, #1 Robert Morris
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Moon Township, PA - Cassie Vondrak added another win to her record as #4 LIU Brooklyn defeated top-seed Robert Morris in game 2 of the 2013 NEC Softball Tournament, 7-3. 

Nichole Toven scored Karina Cervantes in the first inning to put the Blackbirds on the board first, before Madison Zymkovitz scored in the second on a fielding error to move LIU Brooklyn to 2-0.

The Blackbirds did most of their damage in the fourth inning, however, when Celinna Cosio drove in Zymkowitz. Arianna Lopez then smacked a two-run homer as LIU Brooklyn pushed the score to 5-0.

Geena Badalato then came on to pitch for the Colonials and end the inning, but the Blackbirds weren't finished yet. Nicole Archer homered to right center to also score Toven in the top of the fifth. 

The Colonials made a push, however, as Tess Apke knocked a two-run homer to center field to put Robert Morris on the board. They would score one more run in the fifth on a double from Chelsea Siar, but Vondrak pitched three quick outs in the seventh to give LIU Brooklyn the 7-3 win.

The Blackbirds will now take on Central Connecticut tomorrow at 10:30 a.m, while the Colonials will meet Monmouth at 1:00 pm.