Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Scranton, PA – Kaitlyn Brennan hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning that proved to be the difference as Marywood University claimed a 3-2 win over visiting Cabrini College in the opening game of Saturday's Colonial States Athletic Conference doubleheader at Marywood. The Cavaliers would use a two-run, seventh inning rally to send the nightcap into extra innings, where Cabrini used a four-run ninth inning to salvage a split of the afternoon twin-bill.
Marywood, now 18-16 on the season, has claimed the fourth seed for the upcoming CSAC playoffs with a 15-7 conference record and will host fifth-seeded Immaculata University on Wednesday. Cabrini's record moves to 22-16 overall and 16-6 in the CSAC and the third-seeded Cavaliers will host sixth-seeded Baptist Bible College in Wednesday's other first round match-up
In Saturday's opener, Cabrini took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning when Sammy Thomas scored on a Ryan McDonough double, but Marywood took a 3-1 in the bottom half of the opening frame when Kaitlyn Brennan (Taylor, PA) blasted a three-run home run to left field.
The Cavaliers would get one back in the third inning when Thomas scored on an Angela Shookster double.
Faced with a one-out, bases loaded jam in the sixth inning, pitcher Talia Williams (Berwick, PA) induced a force out at the plate and an inning-ending pop-up to prevent Cabrini from plating the tying run. Williams then pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to pick up her sixth win of the season.
Meghin Palmer (Greencastle, PA), Brennan, and Ashley Dommes (Scranton, PA) each had two hits apiece for the Pacers. Chrissy Squillace had two of Cabrini's eight hits in the opening game, the only Cavalier with multiple-hits. Marcelle Crist took the loss despite allowing just seven Marywood hits.
In the nightcap, Cabrini would again grab a 1-0 lead in the first inning, this time getting a run by Thomas scored on a single by Cheri Johns.
Marywood reclaimed a 3-1 in the third inning. Kim Lope (Clifton, NJ) hit a lead-off double, stole third, and scored on a Palmer base hit. Brennan followed with a walk and Kim Flannagan (Monroe, NY) drove Palmer and Brennan home with a double.
Lope and Ashley Dommes (Scranton, PA) preserved the Pacers' two-run lead in the third with a fine defensive play in the fifth. Lope cut off groundball by Cabrini's McDonough and fired home to Dommes, applied a fine tag to get Thomas out at the plate.
Thomas tripled to open the seventh inning for the Cavaliers and scored on a Casey O'Connell single. O'Connell would score later on a Marywood error to tie the score. Shawna Sandy (Scranton, PA) tripled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Pacers were unable push her home, sending the game to extra innings.
Cabrini pushed a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning when O'Connell scored from second after Angela Shookster ripped a single the Lope was unable to come up with at shortstop. Leslie Farrell hit a two-run single and eventual winning pitcher Melissa Miller helped own cause with an RBI single over her own to cap a four-run ninth inning for the Cavaliers.
Lope let off the bottom half of the ninth and scored on a Palmer bunt, but Marywood was unable to plate any more runs as the Cavaliers earned the split and the third seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
Brennan pitched a complete game for Marywood in the loss, striking out two and surrendering nine hits.
Prior to Saturday's doubleheader, Marywood honored Flannagan, the Pacers' lone senior.
Marywood will host Immaculata on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in Scranton. The Pacers and Mighty Macs split a doubleheader at Immaculata on April 24th.
