CLERMONT, Fla. – The Neumann University Softball team closed out their 2026 Spring Break in style on Thursday as they defeated Massachusetts' Emmanuel College, 7-3, and Alvernia, 11-3 in six innings.
 
Neumann put the pressure on early as Cioni Simmons led off the game with a four-pitch walk, and both Dakota Marshall and Ellie Zarnawski were hit by pitches to load the bases. Sydney Wright drove in two with a double that eluded the centerfielders glove and went to the fence, giving the Knights an early 2-0 lead.
 
With two outs in the second, Simmons again was walked and took second on a wild pitch. Marshall then ripped a 2-0 pitch into right for a triple to score Simmons. After a Zarnawski walk, Marshall scored on a wild pitch to give Neumann a four-run edge.
 
In the fifth, Wright led off with a double into right field and Nicole Anderson walked. Two batters later, Natalie Jairdullo walked to load the bases. Taylor Vaugh and Tori Spinella followed with back-to-back RBI infield hits to pull ahead 6-0.
 
The Knights continued to add offense as Zarnawski led off the sixth with a walk, moved to second on a passed ball, and on to third on an error. With runners on the corners, Neumann attempted a double steal. Although the runner for first was nabbed, Zarnawski scored to push ahead by seven. In the bottom of the inning, Emmanuel ended the shutout bid with an RBI groundout. They continued to push back with an RBI double and RBI infield single in the seventh, but the Knights closed out the win.
 
Wright got the win in the circle with 4.2 innings of shutout ball. She allowed five hits and three walks, striking out four. Wright also led offensively with a 2 for 3 performance at the plate. She picked up a double, drove in two runs, and scored one herself.
 
To start the finale, Alvernia loaded the bases with nobody out and scored a run on a sacrifice fly, but Neumann was able to limit the damage to trail, 1-0. The Golden Wolves added two more in the third on an RBI single and an RBI double.
 
The Knights were able to break through on the scoreboard with a two-out rally in the fourth. Marshall started it with a single up the middle. After she stole second, she moved to third when Marina Costello singled. Costello followed with a steal of second then Anderson hit a grounder to third but the throw to first got away and both Marshall and Costello scored, pulling Neumann within one.
 
With one out in the fifth, Emily Ammon drew a walk, stole second, and moved to third on a throwing error. Zarnawski would drive her in with a double into left, tying the game at three apiece. In the top of the sixth, with a runner on, Costello induced a 1-6-3 double play to slow the Alvernia rally.
 
Costello started the bottom of the inning with a double that slipped down the right field line. Anderson followed with a base hit to move Costello to third. After a change in the circle, Anderson stole second and Bella Morales singled through the right side to plate Costello and move Anderson to third, giving the Knights the lead.  Spinella reached on a fielder's choice and Erin O'Shea singled to left to load the bases with one away. Ammon walked to force in a run and Gracie Jairdullo broke the game open when she smashed a two-run single into right. After a Zarnawski single reloaded the bases, Marshall hit a hard come-backer to the pitcher and Ammon scored. The capper was a bases-clearing double by Anderson to seal the game.
 
Anderson had a big game, hitting 3 for 4 with a double, a stolen base, and three RBI. Zarnawski, Mashall, and Costello were all 2 for 4. Zarnawski had a double, an RBI, and a runs scored. Marshall stole a base, drove in a run, and scored twice, and Costello stole a base, hit a double, and scored twice. Ammon reached base three times, all on walks, stole two bases, drove in a run, and scored two times. Costello pitched a shortened complete game, allowing three runs on seven hits, three walks, and fanning six, in six innings.
 
Neumann (5-5), who completes their best spring trip since 2020, will return to action on Wednesday afternoon when they visit Eastern University for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2:30 PM.