ASHLAND, VA (May 13, 2022) -- The Susquehanna University softball team posted 12 hits on the morning against Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the first game of the NCAA Tournament Regional at Randolph-Macon College. Unfortunately, the River Hawks left 11 runners on base in falling to the Engineers 5-3 Friday including three in the bottom of the seventh. 

The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for the 2022 Landmark Conference champions, who will now take on the loser of Friday's second game between host Randolph-Macon and Farmingdale State College Saturday at 2 p.m. 

MIT got on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first off of Susquehanna starter Gabby Bubba, and tacked on another with a bunt single in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. 

The River Hawks would deadlock the score in the bottom of the third, as Erin Bean walked to start the rally followed by a single from first-year Lexi Palumbo. Junior Ashley Warner singled to center field to bring Bean around to score, followed by a Kiara Bryant single to load the bases again. 

Sophomore Zoe Bork would deliver once again for SU, as she singled through the left side to dead lock the game at two with one out in the frame. Unfortunately, SU would strand three in the frame as MIT worked out of the jam. 

The Engineers regained their lead with a single run in the top of the fifth, as Kennedy Adkison singled to start the inning and came around to score on a RBI single by Mikayla Cable. 

SU wouldn't go away, as the River Hawks got singles by Warner and Bork to start the rally in the bottom of the fifth. Rosemarie Mirabella walked to load the bases, and Hannah Roland lined out to right field to score Warner, who scampered home on the sacrifice fly. 

The game wouldn't stay tied for long, as Adkison posted her fourth single of the game to bring around two runners in the top of the sixth to make it a 5-3 game.

In the bottom of the seventh, Susquehanna didn't go lightly as Warner singled to start the inning before Mirabella and Bork singled with two outs to load the bases. The rally would come to an end though as Anya Chase posted a strikeout for MIT to clinch the victory. 

Warner finished 3-for-4 with a RBI and run scored for the River Hawks, while Bork was 2-for-4 as well with a run driven in. All but one of the nine starters had at least one hit for the River Hawks Friday, as Roland was 1-for-3 with a RBI and Bean finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. 

In the circle, Bubba allowed one hit and one earned run over two innings before handing the ball to Katie Murphy for the remainder of the game. The senior allowed six hits and three earned runs while striking out eight Engineer hitters. 

Adkison was 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs for the Engineers, while Cable finished 1-for-3 with two RBI. Dana Bell also doubled for MIT, and Chase earned the win while working the final four innings while allowing one earned run and six hits. 

Up Next

• The River Hawks will play Saturday at 2 p.m. in an elimination game against Randolph-Macon College or Farmingdale State College. If SU wins that game, they will play in another elimination game against either MIT or the winner of Friday afternoon's game. For more information, log onto suriverhawks.com for schedule changes or updates. 

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