SELINSGROVE, PA- Susquehanna softball concluded their regular season against the Drew on Friday, splitting with the Rangers and officially clinching a spot in the Landmark Conference Tournament. The River Hawks, armed with a 10-6 league record and 14-19 overall, await their fate in the playoffs as the rest of the conference plays their finales on Saturday. Landmarks commences on Tuesday, May 6 with the play-in game for the fourth and fifth seeds, while the top three seeds are scheduled for the tournament that begins on Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 11.
Game 1: Susquehanna 2, Drew 0
Brianna Jones pitched a clinic in game one against the Rangers, guaranteeing the River Hawks a playoff berth. Jones topped her career high with a record breaking 12 strikeouts. The junior pitcher remained perfect through the first four innings of the afternoon, before Drew earned their first of two hits of the afternoon. Jones continued her phenomenal season bursting past the storied 250 career strikeouts, sitting at 257 career strikeouts. She earns the win to advance to 10-4 on her storied season.
Susquehanna struck their first run of the afternoon in the bottom of the fourth when Katelyn Dugery crushed a ball to centerfield, scoring Melina Schwartz. Dugery kept the hot bat going earning SU's second and deciding RBI single. The single allowed the speedy Emily Deitch to advance to second and the senior shortstop Lexi Palumbo to take home plate. Bri Jones finished her afternoon in the seventh inning, striking out the final batter of the game.
Game 2: Drew 2, Susquehanna 1
Junior pitcher Hannah Foust earned her 100th career strikeout in the loss to the Rangers in game two of the regular season finale. Amanda Amerman replaced Foust in the third inning, following an explosive top half of the frame for the Rangers. Foust finished her afternoon, allowing three hits, and two runs. Amerman rounded out the afternoon in the circle pitching 4 1/3 innings.
Drew got the scoring going in the third frame with an explosive hit from Magliacan pushed the opening run across the plate. Drew kept the pressure on tacking on a second run in the inning, before shutting the River Hawks out in the bottom half of the frame. Amanda Amerman got the bats flying for SU with a single to right field, with an advance all the way to third off an error. Brie Jones earned an RBI with a single into right field. Susquehanna was unable to capitalize any further in the inning. The River Hawks finished their season dropping game two to the Rangers 2-1.
Up Next For SU:
The River Hawks clinched a playoff berth following the series against the Rangers. The regular season will conclude for the remaining schools in the Landmark Conference on May 3. SU looks ahead to their next opponent, as they look to claim their first conference title since 2022 when they defeated Moravian. The final standings in the Landmark Conference and all playoff information can be found HERE.
