BETHLEHEM, PA - Susquehanna softball's season ended Saturday after a close battle against Catholic in the Landmark Semifinals. The Cardinals got out ahead early and though Susquehanna kept things in view, Catholic had just enough offense to pull out a 4-2 victory. The River Hawks, who were the third seed after posting a 10-6 Landmark record, finish the year at 14-20, while two-seeded Catholic advanced to the Landmark Championship series against top-seeded and 18th-ranked Moravian. Both posted 30-plus wins seasons on their way to the championship.
Catholic 4, Susquehanna 2
Catholic got the ball rolling early in the bottom half of the first inning, scoring the opening run of the afternoon on a dropped third strike. Starting pitcher Brianna Jones kept things level, delivering six strikeouts over the first three innings as Susquehanna looked to get even. The River Hawks had some chances, but had to deal with Catholic starter Aubrynn Arcement, who struck out four batters and allowed six hits in the complete-game victory. Susquehanna looked to have something going with runners on first and second with nobody out. First-year designated player Savannah Patrone hit a sharp ball to shortstop Katie Scolese, who set into motion a 6-5-3 double play by getting the force at third, then third baseman Katie McHugh throwing across to first to get the out in time. The game remained 1-0 entering the bottom of the third. Things changed almost instantly as Sam Grillo hit the face of the left field fence for a double, then the next batter Katie Scolese breaking the game open with a two-run home run to left center field to lead 3-0.
Susquehanna got a run back in the top of the fourth with a two-out rally, capped by shortstop Lexi Palumbo posting an RBI single to cut the lead to two. Junior pitcher Hannah Foust took over in the circle in the bottom of the fourth as Jones moved to second base. CUA regained its three-run lead when McHugh pushed an RBI double across the plate. McHugh had a rough go to start the fifth as SU's first two batters reached on errors by her. Jones pushed across a run on an RBI single to left. An ensuing sacrific bunt from first-year Alyssa Mayorca put runners on second and third with one out, only for Catholic to get out of the jam thanks to a fielder's choice that resulted in Foust being out at home, then Arcement posting a swinging strikeout to escape the frame. Foust and Susquehanna kept Catholic scoreless over the next two innings, though the Cardinals did the same with a one-two-three inning in the sixth and fending off a two-out double from Jones in the seventh by retiring the next batter to book their championship series spot.
Jones was handed the loss as her stellar junior season put her at 10-5 on the season, with her six K's adding her career total to 263. She allowed four hits with just two earned runs. Foust gave up just three hits and one earned run in her three innings of work. Jones evened helped her cause batting 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI, while Dugery also had a two-hit day going 2-for-3. Patrone had the remaining RBI in a 1-for-3 afternoon. Final line score had Susquehanna plating two runs on six hits, while Catholic had four runs on seven hits with two errors.
The River Hawks, under head coach Caressa DeRossett, completed another admirable season on their way to the number-three seed. They had four All-Landmark selections in Jones, Mayorca, Palumbo and Patrone. They achieved a 10-6 Landmark record by defeating each of their conference opponents at least once, including a sweep of Juniata and Elizabethtown, as well as a key victory over Moravian, who were ranked 12th nationally at the time of the matchup, by a 5-4 score. This victory aided Susquehanna in the tiebreaker to finish third, ahead of fourth-seeded Wilkes who also carried a 10-6 Landmark record and were defeated by the Greyhounds in the opening round of the Landmark Tournament, 5-4, in an eight-inning game.
This weekend's tournament was altered due to weather that limited the action to Saturday and Sunday. It was decided that the semifinals game would be single elimination, with the championship becoming a best-of-three series. The Greyhounds defeated the Cardinals, 5-4, in the opening game to wrap up Saturday's festivities, with game two set to begin Sunday at 11 a.m.
