Cambridge Regional Tournament Page

CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Rowan University softball team scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to overcome a one run deficit to defeat Eastern Nazarene College, 3-2 in the first game of the NCAA Cambridge Regional. The regional is at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Friday-Sunday, May 10-12.
 
The Profs (31-12) play MIT on Saturday, May 11, at 11 a.m. The Lions (28-14) face Husson University in an elimination game at 1:30 p.m.  MIT defeated Husson, 1-0 in 10 innings.
 
Second baseman Sonia Sharma (so. Mahwah, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) led Rowan with one hit and a run batted in (RBI). Shortstop Carly Anderson (sr. Nutley, NJ/Nutley), first baseman Mackenzie Short (jr. Denton, MD/North Caroline) and left fielder Morgan Zane (fr. Pittsgrove, NJ/A.P. Schalick) each contributed a hit. Third baseman Cassandra Gerard (sr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley), center fielder Kristina Mueller (sr. Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) and pinch runner Shea Branda (jr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) all scored once. 
 
Lauren Shannon (jr. Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) was the winning pitcher (11-5), tossing four innings, allowing two hits and a run, while striking out six. Right-hander Jesse DeDomenico (jr. East Windsor, NJ/Hightstown) pitched three frames and struck out four. 
 
For Eastern Nazarene, third baseman Dominique Santos (so. Lancaster, CA/Paraclete) scored twice and added one hit. Shortstop Rebecca Ashman (sr. Havre de Grace, MD/Havre de Grace) and first baseman Kiley Ozaki (fr. Ewa Beach, HI/Kapolei) recorded one hit apiece. Catcher Lauren Clements (sr. Garrison, TX/Garrison) and left fielder Kori Bow (jr. Shaftsbury, VT/Mount Anthony Union) both had a RBI. Right-hander Elisabeth Schaffer (jr. Benton, PA/Benton Area) took the loss (24-6), throwing 6.2 innings and giving up four hits, three runs, one earned and fanning four batters. 
 
Rowan entered the bottom of the seventh trailing, 2-1. Sharma reached first on a fielding error by the Lions. She advanced to third and Mueller made it to first on a muffed throw by Eastern Nazarene's first baseman. After Mueller stole second and Branda came in as the pinch runner for Sharma, Rowan capitalized on another Lions' error to bring in Branda and tie the contest at two. The Brown and Gold scored the game-winning run, as Mueller was plated on the fourth error of the inning by Eastern Nazarene. 
 
The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the first as Santos scored on a bases-loaded walk. The Rowan offense struggled over the first three innings but tied the game in the fourth. With runners on first and second, Sharma knocked in Gerard with a single to the shortstop. Eastern Nazarene answered in the fifth to take a 2-1 advantage as Santos came home on a bases-loaded walked. 
 
The schedule and results for the NCAA Cambridge Regional are below.
 
Friday, May 10
Game 1:  #2 Rowan 3, vs. #3 Eastern Nazarene 2
Game 2:  #1 MIT 1, Husson 0 (10 inn.)
 
Saturday, May 11
Game 3:  Rowan (31-12) vs. MIT (28-10-1), 11 a.m.
Game 4:  Eastern Nazarene (28-14) vs. Husson (24-10), 1:30 p.m.
Game 5:  winner game 4 vs. loser game 3, 4 p.m.
 
Sunday, May 12
Game 6:  winner game 3 vs. winner game 5, noon
Game 7:  winner of game 6 vs. loser game 6 (if necessary), 2:30 p.m.