ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University softball team will host the 2019 Atlantic East Championship series this weekend.
 
The Knights finished conference action 9-1 overall and is the No. 1 seed. Neumann went 3-0 in pod action last week to advance to the championship series.
 
Neumann will host Wesley in the best of three series. The Wolverines, the No. 5 seed, won the other pod, going 3-0 and upsetting the higher seeded.
 
The Knights are being led by a number of players at the plate. Grace Sperrazza is batting .405 with a team-high 45 hits, including 14 doubles and four homeruns. The junior also leads the team with 35 RBI and 36 runs scored. Kate Korte' Is batting .402 with 43 hits and 34 RBI. Jackie Selby is batting .398 with 37 hits, including six doubles and three triples, while scoring 28 runs.  

In the circle, Jen Sieminski is 13-6 overall. She has struck out 84 in 103.2 innings. Nicole Wisser is 10-3 over 80.2 innings and Taylor Naman is 4-1 over 45.2 innings.
 
During pod play last weekend, the Knights opened play by defeating Gwynedd Mercy 11-0 in five innings. Neumann then battled Marywood and scored three runs in the eighth inning to win 3-0 in eight innings. In the game on Sunday morning, the Knights defeated the Pacers 8-0 in five innings to advance to the championship weekend.
 
Wesley traveled to Immaculata for pod action and defeated the host 5-4 in the first game. The Wolverines then defeated Cabrini 16-1 in five innings. On Sunday, Wesley again defeated the host, winning 6-2 over the Mighty Macs to advance to play this weekend.
 
During the regular season, the Knights swept Wesley 9-1 and 7-6 on April 23 at Neumann. Sieminski started the first game and went the first four innings for the win. She allowed one run on two hits and struck out six. Naman pitched the fifth inning to wrap up the win.
 
The Knights plated six runs in the third inning as 11 batters stepped to the plate. Sperrazza tallied a two-run single in the inning. The Knights added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth en route to the 9-1 final.
 
In game two, after 6 1/2 innings, the teams were knotted at six. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Sperrazza walked and moved to second on a sac bunt by Bri Lagroteria. The Wolverines committed an error and Sperrazza moved to third while Lagroteria was safe a first. Kierstin Fallers hit a fielders choice to shortstop that loaded the bases. Jackie Schneider then hit a sharp single to second base to score Sperrazza and win the game.
 
Naman went the first three innings in the no decision from the circle. She allowed one run on five hits. Wisser got the win in relief, going the final four innings. She allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits.
 
Action gets underway on Friday afternoon with a single game beginning at 4:00 PM. First pitch on Saturday will be at 10:00 AM with a 12:00 PM game, if necessary, in the double elimination series. The winner will be crowned the first Atlantic East Conference softball champion.