SCRANTON, Pa. – The Neumann University softball team dropped a pair of contests in the first day of the Atlantic East Conference Championship on Friday afternoon. The Knights fell to Centenary 12-8 in their first game and then to host Marywood 10-2 in the nightcap.
The bats were alive against the Cyclones as the Knights tallied 14 hits, led by senior
Emily Reid with four.
Elizabeth Shire added three hits.
Centenary took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Neumann answered with four runs in the second. With two runners on base, senior
Vanessa Bowen singled up the middle to score
Maddie Tice.
The Cyclones tied the game at four with three runs in the bottom of the second. In the top of the third,
Taylor Portzline put the Knights back in the lead when she scored on a wild pitch.
Ashley Leicht singled in Shire for a 6-4 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, Centenary scored five runs on five hits to retake the lead, 9-6. Down 12-6 in the sixth, Tice singled in Reid for a single run in the inning. Neumann had the bases loaded with two outs with Bowen at the plate. The senior hit a rocket line drive that ended up in the first baseman's glove to end the inning.
The Knights plated an unearned run in the top of the seventh as Reid knocked in Leicht but couldn't score anymore and fell 12-8.
Olivia Ammon started the game in the circle and went the first 2.1 innings.
Ashlynne Scardino went the final 3.2 innings in the circle.
In the second game, errors plagued the Knights. Neumann took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with two unearned runs. Shire reached on an error that allowed Reid to score. Leicht then singled to score
Christina Ludovico.
The Pacers exploded for 10 unearned runs in the top of the second to take a 10-2 lead.
Bri Reim singled to score Bowen in the fourth inning for a 10-3 score. Marywood answered back with a run in the top of the fifth to extend its lead back to eight, 11-3.
Emily DuPont started the game and allowed eight unearned runs on five hits. Scardino went 3.1 innings in relief and allowed three runs, just one earned.
Neumann wraps up the season 13-27 overall.