LANCASTER, Pa. No. 1 Cabrini and No. 3 Marywood advance to the championship best of three series in softball.
Top seeded Cabrini had a strong 8-0 victory over No. 6 Gwynedd Mercy on the back of a no-hitter by Avery Bryrnes. With the win Cabrini secured their spot in the final weekend of the Atlantic East Softball Championship and the hosting rights. In Pod B, Maywood pushed seven runs across in the sixth in a come from behind effort against No. 5 Centenary that fell just short 10-9 in game one. In game two of the day and the winner take all game the Pacers had a decisive 13-1 victory of No. 5 Centenary.
The winner of the three game series on March 12th and 13th will earn the Atlantic East Automatic Qualifier (AQ) into the NCAA DIII Softball Championship.
Game 4 - #1 Cabrini 8, #6 Gwynedd Mercy 0 | BOX
Recap courtesy of the Cabrini Sports Information Department.
RADNOR, Pa. – The Cabrini University softball team went 3-0 in play in Pod A and advanced to the 2023 Atlantic East Conference Championship game as the Cavaliers topped No. six-seeded Gwynedd Mercy 8-0 behind the eighth no-hitter in Avery Byrnes's career.
The Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI-bunt single from Emma Barbera to plate Kaitlyn Delaney. Barbera tacked on one more for the Cavs in the fourth with her second RBI-single to make it 2-0. The very next inning, Byrnes helped herself out as the Downingtown native knocked in a pair with a two-run single to put Cabrini ahead 4-0 through five innings.
In the sixth, Abby Tobelmann and Madison Gugel each knocked in a run with back-to-back RBI-singles. Byrnes followed suit with another RBI-knock herself and the final blow came on a bases loaded walk from Shauna Stotler to plate Gia Rebilas and send the Cavaliers to the championship series.
Byrnes went the distance and punched out eight Griffins as the only base runner she allowed was a leadoff walk in the top of the second.
The Cavaliers used seven singles and a lone base on balls to score all eight runs. Andrews doubled and Delaney tripled for the only two extra-base hits in the game.
The Cavaliers are set to square off against Marywood University in the conference championship series beginning on Friday, May 12. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Game 4 - #5 Centenary 10, #3 Marywood 9| BOX
Game 5 #3 Marywood 13, #5 Centenary 1 | BOX
Recap courtesy of the Marywood Sports Information Department.
Arlington, Va. — Third-seeded Marywood University reached the Atlantic East Conference softball championship series for the second consecutive season after eliminating Centenary University on Saturday. In double-elimination pod play, Marywood defeated the Cyclones 13-1 in five innings after falling 10-9 in the first game.
The Pacers will take on top-seeded Cabrini University in a best-of-three series on May 12-13 in Radnor, Pa. It is a rematch of last year's Atlantic East title game.
Game 2: Marywood 13, Centenary 1
Marywood (26-14) scored nine unanswered runs in the deciding third game this weekend between the two teams.
Samantha Baltrusaitis went 3 for 3 with three RBIs. She finished with a double and a sacrifice fly. Tori Para batted 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBIs.
Emma McNally went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run. Abbey Stalter was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Both Mara Hamm and Emily Rose each finished with two runs, a walk and an RBI.
Marissa Gregory notched her 14th victory of the season. She allowed six hits and an earned run with a strikeout.
Centenary's Chloe Wright was 2 for 2.
Marywood put across three runs in the top of the first inning. Hamm led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Rose singled down the left field line to score the first run of the game. Para drove a double to left center to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Baltrusaitis hit a sacrifice fly to left field, and McNally's RBI single supplied the Pacers with an early 3-0.
The Pacers' bat stayed alive with five runs in the top of the second. Ashdon Clark drew a bases-loaded walk. Para came through again with a two-RBI single down the left field that increased Marywood's lead to six. Baltrusaitis capped the innng's scoring with a double that brought in Clark, and Para was sent home after an error for an early 8-0 lead.
Game 1: Centenary 10, Marywood 9
Marywood had the tying runner on second base in the seventh inning in a game that featured three different lead changes, 19 runs and 25 hits. Kelly Ann Earrusso forced a groundout to the pitcher to complete the win.
Centenary used a seven-run sixth inning to come back from four runs down.
The Cyclones' Jayden Pennella went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and a run. Maggie Lenahan reached four times with two hits and two walks, scoring three runs and an RBI. Wright notched a 2 for 4 performance with a pair of RBIs.
Earrusso put a stamp on the win, allowing three earned runs and five hits in 2 2/3 innings.
For Marywood, Baltrusaitis continued to mash the ball with a 3 for 4 outing with two RBIs, two doubles, and a run. Brooke McKay reached three times plus a sacrifice fly, contributing two RBIs.
McNally totaled two extra-base hits with a triple and a double. She had a pair of RBIs.
In all, Marywood hit six extra-base hits. Stalter and Alex Dusman each swiped a pair of bases, including a delayed double steal that scored a run.
The Pacers will take on Cabrini University at 2 and 4 p.m. on Friday, May 12. If necessary, the rubber match will be played with an Atlantic East championship and NCAA Division III tournament berth on the line.
1. Pod A (1, 4, and 6 seeds) at No. 1 Cabrini
Day 1 - Friday, May 5
Game 1 - #1 Cabrini 8 , #6 Gwynedd Mercy 1 | BOX
Game 2 - #6 Gwynedd Mercy 12, #4 Neumann 3 | BOX
Game 3 - #1 Cabrini #4 Neumann | BOX
Day 2 - Saturday, May 6
Game 4 - #1 Cabrini 8, #6 Gwynedd Mercy 0 | BOX
2. Pod B (2, 3, and 5 seeds) at No. 2 Marymount
Day 1 - Friday, May 5
Game 1 - #5 Centenary 7, #2 Marymount 1 | BOX
Game 2 - #3 Marywood 8, #5 Centenary 5| BOX
Game 3 - #3 Marywood 2, #2 Marymount 0 | BOX
Day 2 - Saturday, May 6
Game 4 - #5 Centenary 10, #3 Marywood 9| BOX
Game 5 #3 Marywood 13, #5 Centenary 1 | BOX
Second Weekend - Best-of-Three Championship Series - at Cabrini
Day 1 - Friday, May 12
Game 1 – #1 Cabrini vs. #3 Marywood, 2 p.m.
Game 2 – #1 Cabrini vs. #3 Marywood, 4 p.m.
Day 2 - Saturday, May 13
Game 3 - Cabrini vs. Marywood, noon (if necessary)