
QU Softball Falls to Yale, 12-11 in Chris's Game
4/12/2017 6:55:00 PM | Softball
Erin Larsen Homers Twice in Bobcats' Loss
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac softball team fell to Yale, 12-11, in the second annual Chris's Game Wednesday afternoon at Dewitt Family Field in New Haven in memory of Chris Labbadia.
On Jan. 16, 2016, assistant coach Lynn Labbadia's 19 year old son was tragically killed in a car accident. At the time, Brittney Labbadia was a senior softball player at Yale. Both programs were impacted by his untimely death and chose to honor him by playing each other every season.
With the loss, Quinnipiac moves to 16-18 (3-3 MAAC), while Yale improves to 10-21.
Erin Larsen (Kissimmee, Florida) led the offense for the Bobcats with two home runs and four RBIs in the win. It was the first time in Larsen's career where she hit two homers in one game. Larsen's two dingers were her first of the season and ties her freshman total from last season.
Sarah Heimbach (Greenwich, New Jersey) went two-for-four with three RBIs in the game for the Bobcats. Emily Czaja (Palmer, Massachusetts), Keala Cordeiro (Huntington Beach, California), Miranda Magana (Santa Paula, California) and Rebecca Drake (Whiting, New Jersey) all chipped in an RBI apiece.
Quinnipiac got on the board with one out in the top of the first after Larsen blasted a home run over the left-center field fence to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.
Yale scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, but Quinnipiac tied the game at two in the top of the second. With two outs in the inning, Kat Vitale (Cheshire, Connecticut) singled, then Czaja lasered a double to right-center field, scoring Vitale from first.
The Bobcats retook the lead in the top of the third after Heimbach hit a bases loaded single to give Quinnipiac a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Yale rallied to score four runs to take a 6-3 lead, but the Bobcats scored four runs of their own in the next inning to retake the lead once again.
With one out in the fourth, Czaja and Rachel Marchuk (San Ramon, California) hit back-to-back singles to set up runners on first and second for Magana. Magana then singled in a run to cut the deficit to 6-4. Larsen then hit a sac-fly to center, scoring Marchuk to cut the deficit to 6-5. Drake then stepped in the box and hit an RBI double to left field to tie the game at six. Cordeiro capped the rally with a double to left-center field to score Drake and give Quinnipiac the 7-6 lead.
Yale would add three runs in the fifth to take a 9-7 lead heading into the sixth inning.
Quinnipiac was able to answer right back, as the Bobcats added four more runs in the top of the sixth to take an 11-9 lead. Casey Herzog (Wappinger Falls, New York) lead off the inning with a single then two batters later, Larsen drilled her second home run of the day over the left-center field fence to tie the game at nine. Drake then singled to center, then two batters later Lexi Courtney (Scappoose, Oregon) doubled to left to set up runners on second and third with two outs. Heimbach stepped to the plate and doubled to dead center, driving in two runs.
However, Quinnipiac's 11 runs were not enough as Yale tallied three runs in the bottom of the sixth to cement the Bobcats' 12-11 loss.
Quinnipiac will be back in action on Saturday, April 15, when the Bobcats host MAAC rival Marist in a doubleheader at the QU Softball Field. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jerpbak, Terra (3-6)
L: Long, Abbey (8-8)

Batting:
2B: Drake, Rebecca 1 ; Cordeiro, Keala 1 ; Courtney, Lexi 1 ; Heimbach, Sarah 1 ; Czaja, Emily 1
HR: Larsen, Erin 2
RBI: Magana, Miranda 1 ; Larsen, Erin 4 ; Drake, Rebecca 1 ; Cordeiro, Keala 1 ; Heimbach, Sarah 3 ; Czaja, Emily 1
SF: Larsen, Erin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Magana, Miranda 1 ; Larsen, Erin 2 ; Drake, Rebecca 3 ; Courtney, Lexi 1 ; Vitale, Kat 1 ; Czaja, Emily 1 ; Marchuk, Rachel 1 ; Herzog, Casey 1

Batting:
2B: Hagmaier, Carlin 1 ; Paris, Rachel 1 ; Weisenbach, Camille 1 ; Vinyard, Olivia 1 ; Webb, Giovy 1
HR: Casalino, Francesca 1
RBI: Kennedy, Shelby 1 ; Do, Laina 1 ; Casalino, Francesca 2 ; Weisenbach, Camille 2 ; Vinyard, Olivia 1 ; Webb, Giovy 1 ; Kuss, Lindsay 1 ; Tarte, Annie 2
SH: Do, Laina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kennedy, Shelby 1 ; Casalino, Francesca 1 ; Hagmaier, Carlin 2 ; Paris, Rachel 2 ; Weisenbach, Camille 1 ; Vinyard, Olivia 3 ; Webb, Giovy 1 ; Tarte, Annie 1
CS: Vinyard, Olivia 1
HBP: Kennedy, Shelby 1