SCRANTON, PA (May 8, 2022) -- The Susquehanna University softball team endured a change of venue, a change of format and still didn't waver, as the top-seeded River Hawks bested No. 4 seed Catholic University 2-0 before topping defending Landmark Conference champion Moravian University 9-3 in the title game in action from Magis Field in Scranton, PA.

With the victory, the River Hawks earn the Landmark Conference automatic bid, and will find out where they will go in the 2022 NCAA Tournament Monday at 1 p.m. with the release of the NCAA Selection Show. Senior Katie Murphy was named as the Tournament Most Valuable Player, as she earned a save and victory on the day, while also breaking the single-season school and Landmark records for strikeouts in a season. 

Semifinal: #1 Susquehanna 2, #4 Catholic 0
Pitching was the name of the game in the opening contest of the day, as graduate student starter Gabby Bubba allowed one hit over five innings before handing the ball to Murphy to finish it. 

Bubba struck out three batters over her five innings, while Murphy walked two but fanned four in earning the save. The River Hawks got on the board in the bottom of the second, as Nicole Plesh reached on a throwing error. On the next play, Hannah Roland singled to right center and a pair of throwing miscues allowed Plesh to come all the way around to score. 

The next batter was Erin Bean, and the senior singled to center field to plate Roland making the score 2-0. That was all the offense that the River Hawks would need, as Catholic only put one more runner into scoring position the rest of the game. 

Roland finished 1-for-2 with a run scored, while Kiara Bryant and Zoe Bork each had base hits in the win. 

Final: #1 Susquehanna 9, #2 Moravian 3
In the title game of the Landmark Conference Tournament, the River Hawks offense exploded with a pair of four-run innings in the first and fifth innings to propel SU to the victory. 

It wasn't easy though, as the Greyhounds (29-5) tallied two runs in the top of the first inning off of Bubba, as Emily Silberman singled to center field to score Brooke Wehr to make it 1-0. Holly Walter extended the inning with an infield single, pushing across Lindsey Gawrys to up the MU lead to 2-0.

The River Hawks responded immediately, as Erin Bean and Ashley Warner walked to put runners at first and second. With two outs, Bork came up and ripped a double to left center to score both Bean and Warner to tie the game at two. Morgan Henry came up next and smoked a single up the middle to plate Bork from second, and two batters later Hailey Kaba forced in Henry with a walk to make it 4-2 SU. 

MU threatened again in the top of the second, putting runners on second and third with no outs to force a pitching change for Susquehanna. Murphy replaced Bubba, working out of the jam with just one run scored to keep the River Hawks ahead. 

Susquehanna regained its two-run lead in the bottom of the third, as Bean posted her 100th career hit at SU with two outs to push across Bork from third. 

The Greyhounds threatened in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs but Murphy worked out with a big strikeout of Gawrys. Moravian again would have a chance to get back into the game in the top of the fifth, placing runners on the corners with one out. Susquehanna got out of the inning though unscathed, as Murphy induced a ground-ball double play to once again stifle Moravian. 

SU pulled away in the bottom of the fifth, as Katie Koch singled to start the rally with one out. Nicole Plesh followed with a single to left field, and Kaba walked to load the bases for Bean. The senior second baseman came up and cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left-field line to make it 8-3. Lexi Palumbo laced a single in the next at-bat to bring Bean home. 

In the top of the seventh, Moravian collected a pair of singles but Murphy clinched the win with her seventh strikeout of the game and 200th of the season. 

Murphy went six innings in the circle, allowing five hits in picking up the victory. Bean was 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored, while Henry was 2-for-4 with a RBI and run scored. Koch and Plesh were each 2-for-3 with a run scored. 

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The victory clinched the second Landmark Conference title for head coach Brad Posner, as SU also won the championship back in 2017. The River Hawks finished the day 27-7, and have won nine straight contests. 

Up Next

• The Susquehanna softball team will figure out where it will head next weekend for the NCAA Tournament Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. Check back for more information on suriverhawks.com. 

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