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NCAA Replay of Game

SALEM, VA – The Rowan University softball team defeated Illinois Wesleyan University, 3-1 on the second day of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Friday. 
 
The Profs (41-10) meet the loser of the University of Texas-Tyler and Emory University game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.  The Titans end the season with a 35-13 record.  The national tournament continues Saturday-Sunday, May 28-29.      
 
With the victory, Rowan tied the school record for most wins in a season.  The last time the Profs had 41 wins was in 2013 (41-9).  They also had a 41-7 record in 2006. 
 
Shortstop Shilah Snead (sr. Malaga, NJ/Delsea Reg.) led the team with two hits, a home run and she scored two runs.  Right fielder Morgan Smith (so. Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central)  recorded a double and two RBIs.  Left fielder Mia Baldassari (so. Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Morris Knolls) had one hit and one run scored.  Catcher Alyssa Sims (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) added one hit. 
 
Rookie MacKenzie Juodaitis (fr. Cheshire, TC/Cheshire) recorded the win on the mound in relief.  She (8-2) went four scoreless innings and only allowed four hits.  Pitcher Mackenzie Marquis (so. Herscher, IL/Herscher) had the loss.  She (17-7)  gave up four hits and three earned runs.
 
Snead led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo shot run down the left field line.  It was her ninth home run on the year.  Rowan led 3-0 after two runs in the third inning.  Snead started with a single and Baldassari followed with a walk.  Designated player Ashley DeYoung (jr. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) moved the runners with a sac bunt.  Smith plated Snead and Baldassari with a double to right field.  She has 12 doubles and leads the team with 60 RBIs. 
 
For IWU, shortstop Sam Gudat (sr. Edwards, IL/Brimfield), designated player Laura Bonds (sr. Decatur, IL/Warrensburg-Latham) and third baseman Katie Caulfield (jr. Chicago, IL/Marist) each collected two hits.  Catcher Danielle Smith (sr. Marquette Heights, IL/Pekin Community) scored the lone run while right fielder Maggie Graham (so. Wheaton, IL/Wheaton-Warrensville South) had a RBI. 
 
The Titans' run came in the fourth inning.  Danielle Smith came home on a ground out by Graham.  In the fifth inning, Gudat had a double to left field and Bonds walked.  The next batter fouled out to Sims for the first out.  Third baseman Nicole Paioti (so. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) and Snead registered a double play to end the inning.
 
In the sixth, the Titans had two outs and a runner at third.  Juodaitis struck out the next batter looking.  The Profs made two outs in the seventh with ground outs.  Bond singled up the middle and Juodaitis sat down the final batter swinging. 
 
This is Rowan's fifth trip to the national championship tournament.  The Profs took fourth place in 1993 and 1994.  Rowan was an automatic qualifier for the national tournament as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Champion.  The Profs have advanced to the NCAA postseason six straight years and 24 times overall.
 
The NCAA Championship Tournament schedule and results are below.  The schedule was revised on Friday because of the weather forecast. 
 
Thursday, May 26 - James I. Moyer Sports Complex - Salem, VA
Game 1 – Texas-Tyler 2, St. John Fisher 0
Game 2 – Emory 3, St. Thomas 2
Game 3 – MIT 2, Illinois Wesleyan 0
Game 4 – Messiah 9, Rowan 6
 
Friday, May 27 - James I. Moyer Sports Complex - Salem, VA
Game 5 – St. John Fisher 2, St. Thomas 0 (St. Thomas is eliminated.)
Game 6 – Rowan 3, Illinois Wesleyan 1 (Illinois Wesleyan is eliminated.)
Game 7 – Messiah 3, MIT 1
Game 8 – Texas-Tyler 12, Emory 1 (5 inn.)
 
Saturday, May 28 - James I. Moyer Sports Complex - Salem, VA
Game 9 – 11 a.m.: St. John Fisher vs. MIT
Game 10 – 1:30 p.m.: Rowan vs. Emory
Game 11 – 4 p.m.: Texas-Tyler vs. winner game 9
Game 12 - 6:30 p.m.: Messiah vs. winner game 10