Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CORTLAND, NY – The Rowan University softball team won 7-3 over SUNY Cortland for the NCAA Regional Championship on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Profs came back after they lost to Cortland, 13-12 in the morning.  Rowan (38-9) advances to the NCAA Super Regional on May 20 and 21 at Ithaca College (35-8).  The Bombers edged Moravian College, 3-2 (9 inn.) in the final of the Ithaca Regional.
 
First baseman Damariz Mercado (jr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Cortland Regional Tournament.  Right fielder Morgan Smith (so. Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central), left fielder Mia Baldassari (so. Lake Hoptacong, NJ/Morris Knolls), pitcher Beth Ann Hyland (sr. East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) and designated player Ashley DeYoung (jr. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) were all chosen to the All-Tournament Team.
 
Rookie MacKenzie Juodaitis (fr. Cheshire, CT/Cheshire) pitched 6.2 relief innings for the win.  She (6-2) scattered seven hits and gave up one earned run.  Right-hander Sam Van Dorn (fr. Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford) was the losing pitcher.  In 2.1 innings, she (8-2) allowed two hits and four runs, two earned.
 
Second baseman Carly Anderson (fr. Nutley, NJ/Nutley) registered a double and three RBIs.  Mercado and Smith each contributed with one hit and two runs.  Third baseman Nicole Paiotti (so. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) went two for four at the plate.  Center fielder Gianna Genello (fr. West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) chipped in with one RBI.  Pinch runner Rosalie Hood (so. Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek), Baldassari and DeYoung all scored one run.   
 
First baseman Mikayla Shade (jr. Bethlehem, NY/Bethlehem Central) led Cortland with two hits (three at bats) and two RBIs.  Designated player Andrea Schoonmaker (so. Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) added one hit and one RBI.  Shortstop Erin Wolstenholme (sr. Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) and center fielder Jamie Bucci (sr. Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) had one hit and one run apiece.  Third baseman Kaleigh Churchill (jr. Camillus, NY/West Genesee), Shade, Wolstenholme and Bucci were members of the All-Tournament Team.
 
The Red Dragons had a 2-0 lead after the first inning and the Profs tied the score in the second.  Smith came home on an error and Mercado scored on a fielder's choice with Genello at bat.  Rowan took the lead 5-2 after three runs in the third inning.  Baldassari crossed the plate on a wild pitch and Hood came home on an error.  Anderson grounded out, scoring Mercado.

The Profs added two more runs in the fifth with a two RBI double by Anderson.  She plated DeYoung and Smith with a hit to left center.  Cortland's final run came in the seventh inning.  Shade had a RBI base hit up the middle. 
 
In the first game on Sunday, Cortland defeated Rowan, 13-12 to force a second contest in the double elimination tournament.  The Red Dragons scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning for the victory.
 
Churchill was three for four with a double, one home run, three RBIs and three runs.  Shade contributed with four hits (four at bats), three RBIs and one run.  Right fielder Niki Barbato (jr. East Meadow, NY/Holy Trinity) and Schoonmaker had two RBIs and one run apiece.  Wolstenholme and Bucci each scored twice.
 
DeYoung totaled three hits, one home run and four RBIs.  It was her 12th homer on the season and she tied the school record.  Mercado had three hits (four at bats), a double, one home run, four RBIs and two runs.  In the first inning, DeYoung produced a three-run homer and Mercado recorded a grand slam.
 
The NCAA Championship Tournament is scheduled for Thursday-Tuesday, May 26-31 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, VA.
 
Rowan was an automatic qualifier for the national tournament as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Champion.  This is the Profs' 24th appearance and sixth straight in the NCAAs.  Rowan has advanced to the national finals four times and finished fourth in 1994 and 1993.  Last year, the Profs played in the Alfred Regional.
 
The regional tournament results are below.
 
Friday, May 13
Game 1: #2 SUNY 7, #3 Keuka College 3
Game 2: #1 Rowan University 4, #4 Castleton University 2
 
Saturday, May 14
Game 3: #1 Rowan University 1, #2 SUNY Cortland 0
Game 4: #4 Castleton University 9, #3 Keuka College 1 (5 inn.) (Keuka is eliminated.)
Game 5: #2 SUNY Cortland 10, #4 Castleton University 2 ( 6 inn.) (Castleton is eliminated.)
 
Sunday, May 15
Game 6: #2 SUNY Cortland 13, #1 Rowan University 12
Game 7: #1 Rowan University 7, #2 SUNY Cortland 3 (Rowan wins regional and advances.)