LAKEWOOD, N.J. – The University of New Haven softball team cruised to a sweep of Georgian Court University Wednesday afternoon in New Jersey. With the pair of victories, head coach Jen Starek won her 200th career game at UNH. The winningest coach in Charger softball history, Starek improved her all-time record at UNH to 200-109 with the two wins on Wednesday.

The Chargers made quick work of the Lions, outscoring them 19-0 in the two wins. UNH took the opening game 11-0 in five innings, followed by an 8-0 victory in five innings in the nightcap. New Haven improved to 7-3 on the season with the two wins. Georgian Court dropped to 6-12 with the pair of losses.

Game One

The Chargers got the afternoon started with three runs in the top of the opening inning. Keri Tricinelli (Brick, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) was the only player to hit a RBI in the inning, lacing a one-out single through the left side to push the Chargers ahead by three. Earlier in the inning, Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ) and Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) both scored off an error and a wild pitch, respectively.

In the top of the second, New Haven added four runs. Palase hit a two-out single down the left field line, scoring Sadie Redman (Bangor, Maine/Bangor) and Christina Gelardi (Derby, Conn./Derby) hit a homerun to right center to drive in two. Later in the second, Brooke Fisher (Erial, N.J./Camden Catholic) knocked a single to right field and drove in the Chargers seventh run of the game.

Redman scored again in the top of the third off a Francisco sacrifice fly to center field.

The Chargers concluded scoring in the top of the fourth inning. Gelardi opened the inning with a walk and Lindsey Couturier (Dighton, Mass./Dighton Rehoboth Regional) stepped to the plate. The junior hammered a two-run bomb over the left field fence and New Haven took a 10-0 lead. Tricinelli was next to the plate and the senior strung together back-to-back homeruns with a ball that cleared the center field fence.

Micah Stonesifer (Archer City, Texas/Archer City / Vernon College) threw a perfect three innings to open the game, and the no hitter came to a close in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to shortstop from the Lions. After a scoreless top of the fifth, Stonesifer fanned her sixth and seventh batters in the bottom of the fifth to lead the Chargers to victory.

In total, Couturier went 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Tricinelli went 2-for-2 at the dish with two RBI and one run, while Gelardi added one hit two runs and two RBI in three at-bats. Stonesifer’s complete game shutout included seven strikeouts only three hits.

Game Two

In the nightcap, New Haven strung together 11 hits and outstanding pitching again to take the five-inning shutout for Starek’s 200th victory. Gelardi hit a two RBI homerun to left field in the top of the first to immediately put the Chargers ahead. Three more runs in the top of the second put the Chargers ahead 5-0. Palase drove in two runs with a double to left center, while Gelardi scored Palase with a single through the left side.

The Chargers 5-0 lead carried through the top of the third and Brittany Scott (Buena, N.J./Buena Regional) continued her no-hitter through the bottom of the inning. In the top of the fourth, Francisco and Palase drove in New Haven’s sixth and seventh runs with a pair of doubles. Palase then scored on an error to put UNH ahead 8-0 after four innings.

King took the rubber in the bottom of the fourth inning and closed out the win for New Haven. She threw the final two innings, struck out three and allowed just one hit.

Palase led the UNH bats in the win. The Staten Island, N.Y. native went 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs. Gelardi added three RBI and one run, going 2-for-3 at the dish. Francisco went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. Tricinelli and Meghan Chamoff (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Herricks) each went 2-for-3, while Chamoff added two runs scored.

Scott earned her second win of the season in the three innings pitcher, while King appeared in relief.