Box Score ITHACA, NY – The Rowan University softball team won 1-0 over Ithaca College in the NCAA Super Regional on Friday.  The Profs are 39-9 overall and the Bombers have a 35-9 record. 
 
The Super Regional is a best of three-games format.  The second contest is at 1 p.m. on Saturday followed by the third game if necessary at 3 p.m.  The winner of the Super Regional advances to the NCAA Championship Tournament on Thursday-Tuesday, May 26-31 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, VA.
 
First baseman Damariz Mercado (jr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) picked up where she left off at the NCAA Cortland Regional.  She recorded the winning run with a homer to left field in the second inning.  It was her fourth home run on the season.  Mercado was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Cortland Regional.
 
Right-hander Beth Ann Hyland (sr. East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) went the distance on the mound for her seventh shutout.  She (24-5) only allowed four hits and struck out six batters.  Pitcher Allison Macari (sr. Stamford, CT/Westhill) had the loss.  She (15-4) gave up five hits and had four strikeouts. 
 
Mercado ended the game with two hits in three at bats.  Second baseman Carly Anderson (fr. Nutley, NJ/Nutley) produced a double while shortstop Shilah Snead (sr. Malaga, NJ/Delsea Reg.) and catcher Alyssa Sims (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) each registered one hit. 
 
Second baseman Nikkey Skuraton (fr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham), designated player Alex Wright (fr. Yorktown Heights, NY/Lakeland), catcher Kelly Robichaud (sr. Vernon, CT/East Catholic) and shortstop Hannah Anderson (fr. Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) all tallied one hit for Ithaca.
 
The Bombers led off the bottom of the second inning with a double by Robichaud.  Hyland struck out the next two batters swinging.  The third out was a ground out to Hyland.  In the third, Hannah Anderson led off with a single to right field and advanced to second on a sac bunt.  The Bombers' next batter grounded out to third baseman Nicole Paiotti (so. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) and the third out was a popup to Snead.   
 
With two outs in the fourth, Carly Anderson hit a double to left field.  Mercado followed with a base hit to right field.  Right fielder Jessie Fleck (jr. Delmar, NY/Bethlehem) threw out Anderson at home.  Ithaca had runners on first and second in the bottom half with one out.  The second out was a fly ball to center fielder Gianna Genello (fr. West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) and Paiotti caught a line drive for the third. 
 
The Bombers had three straight outs in the fifth inning.  Hyland recorded two strikeouts and the third was a ground out to Paiotti.  In the sixth, Hyland tallied a strikeout looking and Snead had a ground out.  The third out was another strikeout looking by Hyland.   
 
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 1993 and 1994.  Ithaca is in the national tournament for the 27th time.  The Bombers won the Empire 8 Athletic Conference title and received an automatic berth.  Ithaca was the NCAA Champion in 2002 and finished fourth in 2005 and 2008.      
 
The NCAA Super Regional schedule is below.
 
Friday, May 20
Game 1: Rowan University 1, Ithaca College 0
 
Saturday, May 21
Game 2: Ithaca College (V) vs. Rowan University (H), 1 p.m.
Game 3: if necessary, 3 p.m.