Selinsgrove, PA - Susquehanna softball suffered a disappointing 12-9 ten-inning loss in their first Landmark Conference playoff game against the No. 5 seed Wilkes Colonels on Tuesday. Despite the defeat, the River Hawks put on a thrilling performance in a game that saw them come back down 8-0 at one point and last up until the 10th inning. Both teams now head to top-seed and host Moravian on Friday for their respective games. Wilkes will play the Greyhounds, followed by Susquehanna playing the elimination game.
How it Went Down
- The Colonels kicked off the scoring in the playoff bout with three runs in the first inning, which helped set the tone for the game that was about to be played out. Wilkes followed that up with two more runs in the top of the third which all came off bases loaded walkes to take a commanding 5-0 lead over the River Hawks.
- Through the first three innings, Wilkes totalled eight hits and five runs, stampeding the River Hawks in the first few innings. Meanwhile for Susquehanna, two lone hits were all to show for on the scoreboard which came from Sydney Perez and Isabella Sulezky
- Wilkes continued their run marathon in the fourth inning with three more runs to stretch their lead 8-0. Susquehanna finally answered back in a big way with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut into the Wilkes lead. All four runs came by way of bases loaded walks in a inning that felt never ending for a team with only two hits to that point.
- The Colonels answered back with a run in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 9-4. Maddy Devine helped earn that run back for Susquehanna in the bottom half of the frame when she scored on a past ball from the Wilkes catcher.
- With the game nearing the end, Susquehanna needed to mount another high run total in the last two innings to extend the game, which is exactly what they did. Alyssa Mayorca got things started with a RBI single to center field which was followed by Devine scoring again, this time off of a Elle Walasavage ground out.
- Sulesky finished things off with a two RBI double on the left field line, tying the game at nine runs apiece. Both teams failed to score a run in the seventh inning, which led the game to bleed into extra innings. The dry spell would continue for both teams up until the 10th inning, where Wilkes took a 12-9 after a two RBI double and a RBI single. Susquehanna couldn't match Wilkes' three runs in the bottom half of the frame, sealing a Wilkes win.
Inside the Box Score
- Sulesky led the way in the batters box with a 3-5 performance, including two RBI's from her game tying RBI double in the bottom of the sixth. Devine, Katelyn Dugery and Steevie Shaak all recorded two hits to join Sulesky as the only River Hawks with multiple hits in the game.
- The two teams put on a thrilling performance in the first game of the landmark conference playoffs, as both teams totalled 21 runs, 32 hits, and seven errors throughout the contest.
Up Next for the River Hawks
- Susquehanna will travel to Moravian University's campus in Bethlehem on Friday, May 8 to take on the loser of No. 2 seed Catholic and No.3 seed Drew for a final elimination game. The game is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.
