HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Mar. 30, 2017)- Three players recorded at least two hits apiece as the Centenary University softball team dropped their home opener to Cedar Crest College on Thursday afternoon. The Falcons improve to 9-4 overall and 2-2 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference, while the Cyclones fall to 4-12 overall and 2-2 in the CSAC.

GAME 1: Cedar Crest 4, Centenary 2 (8 Inn.)
Junior Ashley Eisenstein (Freehold, N.J. / Freehold Township) went 2-for-3, while freshman Justine Stefura (Port Reading, N.J. / WoodBridge) went 1-for-2 with a run scored as Centenary scored two runs and scattered four hits in an extra innings loss to Cedar Crest.

The Falcons held a 1-0 lead in the third, when Stefura scored on a wild pitch to even the game at 1-1. Centenary took their first lead of the game at 2-1 in the fourth, when junior Raychel Piserchia (Lyndhurst, N.J. / Queen of Peace) singled up the middle to get on base and then was driven home when senior Jamie Weingarten (Kendall Park, N.J. / South Brunswick) hit an RBI groundout to second base.

Cedar Crest would put another run back on the board and even the contest at 2-2 in the fifth with an RBI single down the right field line. The game remained locked at 2-2 into the eighth, when a wild pitch and a fielding error allowed the Falcons to get two runs across the dish in the top half of the inning. Centenary was unable to respond in the bottom half of the inning as they grounded into a double play to end the game.

Laura Rau improved to 4-1 overall with three strikeouts in the complete game victory. Junior Sammie Darling (Succasunna, N.J. / Roxbury) also tossed a complete game with three strikeouts and only two earned runs in the loss for Centenary.

GAME 2: Cedar Crest 2, Centenary 1
Freshmen Juli Wright (Colonia, N.J. / Colonia) and Jessica Hewitt (Waretown, N.J. / Southern Regional) both went 2-for-3, while junior Carolyn Clites (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. / Hasbrouck Heights) went 1-for-3 with a run scored as the Falcons went wire-to-wire in the game two loss.

Cedar Crest scored both of their runs in the top of third with two runs on four hits, including a wild pitch and an RBI single. Centenary got their only run of the afternoon in the fifth, when both Stefura and Eisenstein reached on a fielder's choice to put runners in scoring position for Clites. Clites stepped into the batter's box and hit an RBI single to score Stefura.  Despite the Cyclones making things interesting in the fifth, no more runs were scored on either side and Cedar Crest completed the sweep.

Kendra Pekurny struck out one and allowed one run for the Falcons in the complete game victory. Hewitt turned in another complete game outing with two strikeouts and two earned runs in the loss for the Cyclones.

Head Coach Kim Broking and the Cyclones will return to action on Saturday, Apr. 1^st, hosting the Ravens of Rosemont College in doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.