ARLINGTON, Va. – The Neumann University Softball team began the Atlantic East Conference tournament on Saturday afternoon. In their opener against Marywood, they walked off with a 6-5 win, but fell in the second game against Marymount, 7-2.
After the first inning of the opener against Marywood went scoreless,
Marina Costello and
Dakota Marshall both got on base from errors. A wild pitch made it second and third then Costello scored on a
Natalie Jairdullo groundout.
Tori Spinella doubled the lead with an RBI single that plated Marshall.
In the fourth,
Rylie Norris got on base with a fielder's choice and moved to second when
Emily Ammon walked.
Cioni Simmons moved the runners up on a sacrifice bunt and
Ellie Zarnawski plated both with a two-run single to left for a 4-0 lead.
The Pacers broke the shutout in the fifth with an RBI single, but in the bottom of the inning,
Taylor Vaugh scored on a fielder's choice. In the top of the seventh, Marywood tied the game with a run-scoring error, an RBI single, an RBI grounder, and an RBI double, making it a 5-4 game. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Marshall singled to center and moved to second on a groundout. Spinella followed by smacking a 1-0 pitching into left field. Marshall came around to score and the Knights stayed in the winner's bracket with a walk-off win.
Sydney Wright pitched a complete game for the win, improving her record to 6-4. In seven innings, she allowed four earned runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out four.
In the final game of the day, the Knights challenged the top seed, Marymount, who defeated Saint Elizabeth in their first game of the tournament, 6-4. The Saints struck first in the third inning with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
The game stayed that way until the sixth when Zarnawski led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and on to third on a grounder. She then came in the score on an error. Marymount added to their lead in the sixth with an RBI double and a two-run homer, extending their edge to six.
Rebecca DiLeo got the start in the circle and was saddled with the loss to drop her personal record to 7-5. Combined between the two games, Spinella was 4 for 7 with a double and two runs batted in. Zarnawski also drove in two and scored once, going 3 for 7. Ammon was 2 for 6 with a walk and a run scored.
Neumann (20-19) will take on Marywood in the first game of the final day of the tournament. They will need to win that game, Sunday at 12:00 PM, then defeat Marymount twice, to secure the Atlantic East Conference championship.
