MANSFIELD, CT – The Eastern Connecticut State University softball team won the first game of the NCAA Super Regional, 2-1 against Rowan University on Friday.
The Warriors (33-11) play the Profs (33-14) again on Saturday at noon. The if necessary game of the best of three games series will follow at 2:30 p.m. The winner of the Super Regional advances to the NCAA Championship Tournament that is scheduled for Thursday-Tuesday, May 23-28 at Suddenlink Field in Tyler, TX.
Eastern Connecticut's first run came in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, third baseman Julia SanGiovanni (fr. East Haven, CT/East Haven) walked and was replaced by pinch runner Katelyn Miller (fr. Wallingford, CT/Lyman Hall). Center fielder Sabrina LeMere (jr. North Branford, CT/North Branford) grounded out and Miller advanced to second. Second baseman Jackie Lewis (sr. Mystic, CT/R.E. Fitch Senior) drove in Miller with a single to right field.
The game was halted in the top of the fifth inning for a hour and a half rain delay. The Warriors led 2-0 in the fifth after play resumed. Pitcher Morgan Bolduk (so. Vernon, CT/Rockville) walked and went to second on a wild pitch after one out. Shortstop Sara Pisanelli (jr. Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) singled to right field, scoring Bolduk.
Shortstop
Carly Anderson (sr. Nutley, NJ/Nutley) had a RBI single in the bottom half to cut the deficit to one. Catcher
Christina Guarino (so. West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) led off with a single and pinch runner
Shea Branda (jr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River N.) took over at first. Branda advanced to second due to an error on a fielder's choice and she crossed home plate on Anderson's hit.
Bolduk pitched a complete game. She (19-1) allowed four hits and had three strikeouts. Righty
Jesse DeDomenico (jr. East Windsor, NJ/Hightstown) suffered the loss. She (19-8) gave up three hits and struck out six batters.
Designated player
Kelly Duffy (so. Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Mem.) contributed with a double. The Profs also had one hit from third baseman
Cassandra Gerard (sr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley).
Rowan advanced to the Super Regional with a 7-6 win in 14 innings over Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the final of the Cambridge Regional. The Profs defeated Eastern Nazarene College, 3-2 in the opening round and MIT, 1-0 in 10 innings in the second. MIT had a 5-3 win over Rowan to force the if necessary game.
Eastern Connecticut State was the champion of the Medford Regional. The Warriors defeated Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 6-3 and host Tufts University, 2-0 and 5-1.
Rowan was an at-large selection to the national tournament. It is the Profs' 27
thappearance and ninth straight in the NCAA postseason. The softball team won the Super Regional in 2018 and 2016 to play in the national championship tournament. Rowan has finished in third place one time and fourth twice.
Eastern Connecticut State received an automatic bid to the NCAAs as the champion of the Little East Conference. This is the Warriors' 21
sttrip to the national postseason and first since 2015. Eastern Connecticut State has won four national titles and finished second twice, third five times and fourth once.
Willimantic, CT Super Regional Schedule
Friday, May 17
Game 1: Eastern Connecticut State University 2, Rowan University 1
Saturday, May 11
Game 2: Rowan University (33-14) vs. Eastern Connecticut State University (33-11), noon
Game 3: if necessary game, 2:30 p.m.