Softball Splits on Opening Day, Palmer Sets Hits Record
Meghin Palmer broke Marywood's single-season hits record with a 3-for-4 performance Friday against Neumann

Softball Splits on Opening Day, Palmer Sets Hits Record

Softball - 5/4/2012 10:55:00 AM

Box Score vs. Neumann

Box Score vs. Centenary

Hackettstown, NJ – Marywood University's softball team cruised to a 15-5 win over Neumann University in five innings on Friday morning before dropping a 5-4 heartbreaker to top-seeded Centenary College in their second game of the CSAC Championships.  The Pacers, now 23-16 this season, will meet Neumann again on Saturday morning in an elimination game.  Meghin Palmer set a new single season record for hits for the Pacers after going 3-for-4 at the plate, breaking the old record of 66 set previously set by Erika Cook in 2008. 
 
In Friday's opener, all nine players collected at least one hit and one scored as Marywood's offense came alive, led by Diana Butash's four RBIs.  Meghin Palmer collected three hits and drove in three runs and Mariah Runco also drove in three runs.  Kayla Prompovitch added three hits for the Pacers, who led 5-1 at the end of the first inning and 10-1 after three innings.
 
Katherine King tossed a complete game for Marywood to improve to 8-4 on the season.  The freshman scattered eight hits while striking out four batters to earn the win. 
 
In the nightcap, the Cyclones got a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge the Pacers, who had rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the top half of the inning to tie the game.
 
Marywood jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Centenary, with Palmer scoring on an error and Kellsie Davis crossing the plate on a Jillian Flanagan sacrifice fly.  The Cylcones responded with three runs on four hits in the home half of the first to lead 3-2.  Centenary added a run in the fourth inning, and would hold the lead two-run lead heading into the seventh inning looking to get the final three outs, but Marywood had other ideas.
 
With one out, Butash singled and scored on a Kim Lope double to left center, who then advanced to third on a bunt by Palmer.  Davis then doubled to bring home Lope with the tying run.  Davis advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the Pacers were unable to push the go-ahead run across.
 
With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Centenary's Caitlyn Dean hit a walk-off home run to left field to end the ball game.  Dean finished the game with three hits and two RBIs for the Cyclones, who also got three hits from Gabrielle Pellegrino and two RBIs from Brianne McManus.  Meagen Madsen was credit with her 12th win of the season after allowing five hits in 5.2 innings.
 
Butash finished with three hits to lead Marywood in the nightcap while Davis added two hits.  Alexandra Stine fell to 9-5 despite going the distance on the mound for the Pacers.
 
Marywood and Neumann will square off again at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday in an elimination game at Hackettstown High School.  Both teams are 1-1 in the tournament while Centenary finished the day 2-0.  Baptist Bible College was eliminated after dropping both of their games on Friday.
Print Friendly Version