Box Score ITHACA, NY – The Rowan University softball team captured the NCAA Super Regional with a 4-3 victory over Ithaca College on Saturday afternoon.
The Profs (40-9) advance to the NCAA Championship Tournament on Thursday-Tuesday, May 26-31 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, VA. Rowan's first game is on Thursday against Messiah College at 6:30 p.m.
The Profs defeated the Bombers, 1-0 on May 20 in the best of three-games regional. Ithaca ends the season with a 35-10 record.
Right-hander
Beth Ann Hyland (sr. East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) was the winning pitcher and rookie
MacKenzie Juodaitis (fr. Cheshire, CT/Cheshire) earned her second save. Hyland (25-5) scattered eight hits in 5.1 innings and gave up three earned runs. In the final inning, Juodaitis did not allow a hit or a run. Allison Macari (sr. Stamford, CT/Westhill) had the loss on the mound. She (15-5) pitched 3.2 innings and allowed four hits and four runs, two earned.
Shortstop
Shilah Snead (sr. Malaga, NJ/Delsea Reg.) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Super Regional and Hyland was the Most Outstanding Pitcher. Snead went three for three with a home run. Right fielder
Morgan Smith (so. Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central) contributed with a double, two RBIs and one run. First baseman
Damariz Mercado (jr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) chipped in with one hit and one RBI.
For the Bombers, catcher Kelly Robichaud (sr. Vernon, CT/East Catholic) was two for three at the plate with one run. First baseman Casey Gavin (sr. Wallingford, CT/Sheehan), center fielder Erin McQuillan (sr. Magnolia, TX/Magnolia W.) and shortstop Hannah Anderson (fr. Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) each tallied one hit and one RBI. Left fielder Allie Colleran (so. Concord, MA/Concord Carlisle) and second baseman Nikkey Skuraton (fr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham) scored one run apiece.
Rowan was ahead 3-0 after the first inning. Snead led off with a single up the middle and she moved to second on a sac bunt by left fielder
Mia Baldassari (so. Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Morris Knolls). Designated player
Ashley DeYoung (jr. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) reached base on an error and Snead went to third. Pinch runner
Rosalie Hood (so. Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Grove) replaced DeYoung at first. Smith plated Snead and Hood with a double to right field. Second baseman
Carly Anderson (fr. Nutley, NJ/Nutley) had a single, then Smith was on third. Mercado's sacrifice fly scored Smith.
Ithaca had two runs in the third. Gavin singled home Skuraton and McQuillan drove in Robichaud with a base hit to center field. With two outs in the fourth, Snead recorded a solo shot to left center field. It was her eighth home run on the season. The Bombers' final run came in the sixth inning. Colleran doubled to right center and later crossed the plate on a single by Hannah Anderson.
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. Prior to this season, Rowan had advanced to the national finals four times and finished fourth in 1993 and 1994.
The NCAA Super Regional results are below.
Friday, May 20
Game 1: Rowan University 1, Ithaca College 0
Saturday, May 21
Game 2: Rowan University 4, Ithaca College 3
