FINAL SCORE: #7 Judson College 2, #8 Penn State Beaver 1
RECORDS: #7 Judson College (21-24) | #8 Penn State Beaver (19-18)
LOCATION: Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
IN BRIEF: The morning game was a pitcher’s duel. Judson’s starting pitcher Sarah Lippeatt threw seven innings, and allowed just 3 hits in route to a 2-1 victory over Penn State Beaver. The win keeps them alive in the elimination bracket.
HOW THEY SCORED: Judson got on the board in the third inning on a Katie Speer double. Katie Glover scored after leading the inning off with a double to left center. Beaver responded with their first and only run on a Vanessa Jackson single to right field with bases loaded. Judson’s Lippeatt worked out of the jam, stranding three Beaver runners on base in the third.
In the seventh inning, Tiffany Watson led off with a walk. With one out, Erin Harrison laid a sacrifice bunt to advance Watson to second. This led to Judson’s hot hitter at the plate, Speer, who had the Eagles' only RBI on the day. Speer delivered, smacking a single up in the middle to give Judson a 2-1 lead. Lippeatt retired the first Beaver three batters in the bottom of the seventh to secure the victory.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: Beaver’s Jackson gave up six hits, two earned runs, and struck out three Eagle batters. Judson committed no errors, and Beaver had just one on the day.
NEXT UP: Judson College will face the loser of the #5 Penn State Brandywine vs. #1 St. Mary of the Woods game this afternoon. Beaver will play the loser of the #9 UC Clermont vs. #5 SUNY Canton game to battle for seventh place in this year’s National Championship.
FINAL SCORE: #5 SUNY Canton 9, #9 UC Clermont 2
RECORDS: #4 SUNY Canton (23-16) | #8 UC Clermont (11-8)
LOCATION: Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
IN BRIEF: The higher seed prevailed today behind strong pitching and 13 hits. A six-run fourth inning by the Roos gave them the cushion they needed to keep vying for a national championship.
HOW THEY SCORED: Despite giving up four errors, the Roos scored two runs in the third, six in the fourth, and one in the sixth inning to win their second straight game facing elimination. Rhea Coad went 3-4 with three runs batted in and Valerie Clark went 3-3 with 3 runs scored and 2 runs batted in.
Clermont scattered seven hits and scored one in the first and one in the third. Jade Margerum went 2-3 with a run scored in the contest.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: Clermont shortstop Brittany Freson went 1-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. SUNY catcher Brittany Staltare went 2-3 with two runs scored and a run batted in. SUNY pitcher Podkladek gave up no earned runs.
NEXT UP: SUNY Canton moves onto to face the loser of the #3 Carlow vs. #2 Cleary winner’s bracket game. Clermont will play against Beaver for seventh place this afternoon.
FINAL SCORE: #2 Cleary University 2, #3 Carlow University 0
RECORDS: #2 Cleary University (30-15) | #3 Carlow University (17-19-1)
LOCATION: Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
IN BRIEF: Despite Carlow starting pitcher only giving up five hits in six innings of work, two came in the form of a long ball from Cleary University designated hitter Sierra Burke. Burke hit two home runs over the left field wall to push Cleary over Carlow in a tightly contested game. Cleary won 2-0.
HOW THEY SCORED: Cleary ended the scoring drought in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Burke hit a solo home run over the left field line, hugging the foul pole on its way out of Firestone Stadium. In the sixth inning, Burke repeated her fourth inning action. This time, she hit her second solo home run with two outs over the left center field wall.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: Carlow left five runners on base. Cleary starter and winning pitcher Riley Thompson surrendered just 2 hits. Neither team had an error. The bright spot for Carlow was third basemen Allison Hryadil, who went 0-2 with a walk. She had five putouts, including a dazzling snag on the corner when Cleary’s Kaitlin Dormire smoked down the line.
NEXT UP: Cleary advances to the winner’s bracket semi-final game against the winner of #5 Penn State Brandywine vs. #1 St. Mary of the Woods College tomorrow. Carlow enters the loser’s bracket and plays #4 SUNY Canton this evening.
FINAL SCORE: #1 St. Mary of the Woods College 6, #5 PSU Brandywine 0
RECORDS: #1 St. Mary of the Woods College (27-6) | #5 PSU Brandywine (23-13)
LOCATION: Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
IN BRIEF: St. Mary of the Woods left eight base runners but managed to advance to tomorrow night’s semi-final showdown against Cleary University at Firestone Stadium.
The Pomeroys won 6-0 behind Stephanie Richardon’s 4-hitter against PSU Brandywine, who left six runners on base.
HOW THEY SCORED: After a shaky start from Brandywine’s starting pitcher Stephanie Richardson who had some costly wild pitches in the first inning, St. Mary of the Woods scored two runs in the first inning. They added a run in both the second and third. Baylee Waters and Nicole Niespodziany both drove in a run. The Pomeroys added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure their victory.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: Hollie Jones of St. Mary’s went 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Brandywine starting pitcher Maura Moser gave up four earned runs in the loss. Grace DeRosa relieved
Maura and struck out two out of the three batters she faced.
NEXT UP: St. Mary of the Woods advances to the winner’s bracket semi-final game against the winner of #2 Cleary University. Brandywine drops to play Judson College tonight in a sudden-death matchup.
FINAL SCORE: #3 Carlow University 4, #4 SUNY Canton 2
RECORDS: #3 Carlow University (18-19-1) | #4 SUNY Canton (24-17)
LOCATION: Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
IN BRIEF: Carlow scored two early runs and used a big fifth inning to keep their hopes of a national championship alive.
HOW THEY SCORED: Carlow’s Allison Hryadil singled in the first inning to drive in Kelsey Geyer. In the second inning, Sofia Papage led off with a single up the middle and eventually scored after an errant throw by SUNY Canton.
SUNY Canton threatened with bases load but only scored one run. Second basemen Stefanie Miller singled up the middle, scoring Courtney Hyland. But an outstanding throw to the plate from Carlow center fielder Kenzie Young got SUNY baserunner Valerie Clark out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Celtics responded. Sofia Page tripled to left field and drove in Ashley Hoak and Hryadil.
SUNY Canton scored a run in the top of the seventh but left two runners on base to end the game.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: Both teams combined for 13 hits. There were just 3 errors on the game. SUNY Canton starter senior Jordan Podkladek took the loss. She pitched all four games so far in the tournament. Carlow starter Nicole Hall gave up just one earned run and got the win in five innings of work for the Celtics.
NEXT UP: Carlow continues play tomorrow against the loser of the #7 Judson College vs. #5 Penn State Brandywine game this evening. SUNY Canton will play the loser of the Judson vs. Penn State Brandywine game.
**Courtesy of Penn State Beaver Athletics**
FINAL SCORE: #8 Penn State Beaver 9, #9 UC Clermont 1
RECORDS: #8 Penn State Beaver (20-18) | #9 UC Clermont (11-9)
LOCATION: Pony Field at Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
In this afternoon's seventh place game, Beaver faced UC Clermont, a rematch of the opening round game. Looking to seek redemption after being knocked into the loser's bracket by Clermont, Beaver came out hot. With one out, Dina Cable (Mannington, NJ / Salem County Vo Tech) was walked and advanced to second on a Vanessa Jackson (Snohomish, WA / Snohomish) single to the short stop. A pair of passed balls allowed Cable to score and Jackson to reach third giving Beaver the early 1-0 lead.
In the top of the second inning Clermont responded and tied the game at 1-1. But their lead was short lived as Beaver had a 5-run second inning with hits coming from Keasha Barz (Wintersville, OH / Stuebenville), Brenna Cepull (Monaca, PA / Central Valley) and Brittany Zahn (New Brighton, PA / New Brighton) who all singled and Jackson who doubled. Three batters were also walked in the inning, Torey Cassidy (Hinsdale, NY / Portville), Lacey Weible (Hookstown, PA / South Side) and Cable, who after being walked all reached home safely as Beaver batted through their order in the inning.
In their next three at bats, the Cougars of UC Clermont were held scoreless on only 3 hits. In the bottom of the 5th inning, the Lady Lions added their seventh run of the game as Barz scored on a Brittany Garza (La Feria, TX / La Feria) single. Beaver then sealed their victory in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Cable was walked and advanced to second on another hit by Jackson, who went 3 for 4 in the game. Both runners then advanced into scoring position on a passed ball setting the stage for senior, Jenna Petrucci (New Castle, PA / Shenango) who hit a long fly ball to deep center field. Just feet short of a home run in her final at bat of her career, both runners were able to score giving Petrucci the 2 RBI walk off single to end the game by the mercy rule (9-1).
Seven different Lady Lions contributed at least one hit in the game with Jackson and Zahn leading the way with three and two hits respectively. Jackson and Petrucci led the way in RBI's with two a piece. On the mound was freshman, Torey Cassidy who earned her 6th win of the season throwing all six innings.
Finishing the year with an overall record of 20-18 the Lady Lions look to return a strong class next fall and return to the USCAA Softball National Tournament in 2018.
**Courtesy of Penn State Fayette Fayette Athletics**
FINAL SCORE: #10 Penn State Fayette 2, #6 University of Maine Presque Isle 0
RECORDS: #10 Penn State Fayette (19-20) | #6 University of Maine Presque Isle (22-16)
LOCATION: Pony Field at Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
The Penn State Fayette Lady Roaring Lions softball team close out the 2017 with a consolation victory, sealing its place as the 9th team in the nation. Fayette defeated #6 University of Maine- Presque Isle in a close 2-0 bout.
Led by Aubrey Yates and Monica Joseph, Joseph opened scoring with a 3rd inning single scoring Yates.
Fayette would add one more by the continued offensive prowess of Joseph in the 4th. Caitlyn Brown would tally the additional and final run of the game from a Joseph single.
Notable standout performances for Fayette include Aubree Yates hitting 4-for-4, tallying 1 run, and earning a stolen-base. Monica Joseph would hit 3-for-4, 2 RBI's, and earn a steal. Pitcher Tiffany Markovitch would cap off her impressive 112 strikeout season with a shutout win.
Although being eliminated in the first 2 rounds of the USCAA National Tournament, It was by no means a disappointing season for the young team. Defying what many across the conference would expect from a 1-win team in the 2016 season, Fayette turned heads finishing just behind Beaver in the PSUAC West and 9th overall in national rankings.
The season was highlighted with several PSUAC and USCAA individual award recipients.
PSUAC 2nd Team All-Conference awards were granted to Monica Joseph, Miranda Nichols (senior), and Tiffany Markovitch with Hannah Kline receiving Honorable Mention. Additionally, in his first season as Head Coach, John Miller received PSUAC Coach of the Year.
USCAA All-Academic recognition was granted to Monica Joseph, Caitlyn Brown, and Kelsey Rudzienski for their outstanding academic accomplishments. Additionally, Monica Joseph and Miranda Nichols (senior) were the recipients of USCAA All-Conference Honorable Mention.
Fayette will lose an invaluable and irreplaceable leader in Miranda Nichols. Nichols finished with a team high 26 RBI's - good for 6th in the PSUAC. Additionally, she was among team leaders in all offensive statistical categories. Nichols' defensive contributions behind the plate helped Fayette to an impressive 77 points allowed – good for 4thout of 11 PSUAC teams. Many would argue that Nichols' greatest contribution came from her active and optimistic vocal leadership in any given game situation. Miranda's character and athletic attributes will be sorely missed in the year(s) to come.
The Fayette Department of Athletics and campus community wish her well in future endeavors.
FINAL SCORE: #5 Penn State Brandywine 3, #7 Judson College 2
RECORDS: #5 Penn State Brandywine | #7 Judson College
LOCATION: Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
IN BRIEF: Brandywine’s Alexa Anderson won the game on a walk-off single to keep her team alive in search of a national championship, defeating the Judson College Eagles 3-2.
HOW THEY SCORED: This exciting started with Brandywine Arianna Segich scoring on an errant throw by the Eagles. Brandywine starting pitcher, Grace DeRosa, held the lead until the sixth inning, when Judson led the inning with two singles. They eventually scored one run that inning, and that was on a bad throw to third base, which advanced Darana Campbell, who went 2-3 with a run scored and one walk on the night. Brandywine responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Anderson doubled to lead the inning and eventually scored to regain the lead but stranded two runners.
The seventh inning proved to be the most interesting of them all. Judson clawed its way back to tie the game – and get bases loaded with one out. DeRosa managed to work her way out of the inning, only allowing one run on a wild pitch and stranding runners on base. This set the stage for her team to win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. The inning started with a Julia Allman single. Katie DeStefano then walked. Anderson came up to the plate and hit a line drive down the left field line to win the game – and send Brandywine into tomorrow’s action, making them one of four remaining teams still alive in the tournament.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE:
There were some exciting plays in this game. Judson’s Campbell dazzled the crowd with a diving catch in center field in the fifth inning – a play that ended the inning and saved at least two runs. Brandywine had multiple bunts for base hits, utilizing their speed to get on base. Both teams left a combined 15 runners on base. The Eagles’ starting pitcher Sarah Lippeatt pitched the entire game for her team, allowing just one earned run.
NEXT UP: Brandywine plays Carlow tomorrow at 4 pm. Judson will face SUNY Canton to determine tomorrow morning fifth place.
