ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The top-seeded Cedar Crest College softball squad went 2-0 on Day 1 of the 2021 Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Playoffs Friday on Blaschak Field.
"I'm so proud of this team," exclaimed Head Coach Kim Begley. "They showed up and showed out. 1 through 17 all had a piece in today."
Game 1 vs. Saint Elizabeth: The Falcons played their first game of the day at 12:00 PM, where they went head-to-head with the five seed, Saint Elizabeth University Eagles. The Black and Yellow scored three runs in the first inning, then scored two runs in the second and third innings to take at 7-0 lead heading into the fourth. The Eagles scored three runs in the fourth inning, cutting into the lead, 7-3, but Cedar Crest added two more in their half of the fourth inning, putting the score at 9-3. Saint Elizabeth added three more in the fifth, now trailing 9-6, but the Falcons scored one run in the fifth and sixth innings, to take an 11-6 lead into the final frame. The Eagles added one more run, but Cedar Crest would earn the 11-7 win.
Six Falcons contributed hits in the game, led by senior Patricia Dalton (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area), who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and scored a run. Graduate student Dallas Horning (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) and senior Riley Tremblay (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) each reached base twice, with Horning going 2-for-2 and plated a runner, as Tremblay went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Junior Delaney VanBuskirk (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge) and sophomores Renee Snyder (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and Reilly Mateljan (Friedens, Pa./Somerset Area) also had base hits in the victory. Mateljan, who replaced Horning as the designated player, hit a two-RBI double and scored a run as VanBuskirk and Snyder each scored a run.
Graduate student Breanna Young (Easton, PA/Wilson Area) got the start against Saint Elizabeth and pitched a complete game, throwing 7.0 innings. She allowed seven runs, five of the earned, on just six hits. She struck out four out of the 35 batters she faced. Young forced 10 groundouts and seven flyouts to earn her sixth victory of the year, putting her at (6-1).
Game 2 vs. Keystone: Keystone defeated Wilson College in the 9:30 AM game on Blaschak Field to earn a spot in the Winner's game to take on the Falcons.
Keystone got on the scoreboard first, getting two runs across the plate in the top of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead. But, that lead would not last long. Cedar Crest started their half of the inning with lead-off home run from Tremblay to get things underway.
"Riley Tremblay (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) with the long ball to start game 2 set the bar high and the girls went above and beyond," added Begley.
After that homer, the Black and Yellow would score seven more runs, taking an 8-2 lead after just one inning. Keystone would respond with two more runs in the second, cutting the deficit in half, 8-4, but the Falcons would put up a nine-spot in the second inning to take a 17-4 lead into the third inning. Cedar Crest would tack on one more in the third, then the Giants had a five-run fourth inning, increasing the score to 18-9. One more run crossed the plate for Cedar Crest in the fourth, increasing their lead to 10 runs. Keystone threatened with two runs in the top of the fifth, but the Falcons were able to close out the game for an 19-11 win in five innings.
Nine members of the Cedar Crest roster recorded 18 hits, with four Falcons having three-hit performances. Tremblay went 3-for-5 with a solo homer, a double, five RBIs, and three runs scored.
Snyder also went 3-for-5 in the game, scoring twice and drove in two runs as graduate student Nicole Santaniello (Kissimmee, Fl./Osceola) and VanBuskirk each went 3-for-4. Santaniello had two doubles, scored three times, and plated two runners, as VanBuskirk score two runs and drove in one.
Dalton finished the game going 2-for-3, with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored. Senior Ashley Heller (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) reached base three times, twice being hit by a pitch, and scored two runs for the Falcons. Junior Rachel Savini (Wilmington, DE/Delaware Military Academy), Horning, and Mateljan each reached on a base hit and crossed the plate once to round out the scoring column.
Begley continued, "We needed to put the runs on the board to support our pitching staff and we did just that."
Junior Skyler Bilous (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) got the start against Keystone, where she threw for 3.2 innings of work. She allowed nine runs, seven earned, on 10 hits to go with three strikeouts and eight flyouts. Bilous faced 23 batters before freshman Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) entered the game in relief. Mundy threw 1.1 innings and gave up two unearned runs on two hits in the nine batters she went up against. Bilous ultimately ended with the win in the decision, putting her overall record at (8-1).
"I'm excited for tomorrow and the energy that the girls bring," concluded Begley.
With a pair of wins today, the Falcons have clinched a spot in the CSAC Championship Game, and are just one win away from claiming the CSAC Softball Title. The day is set to begin with an elimination game between the Wilson College Phoenix and the Keystone College Giants, which is slated for 9:30 AM on Saturday, May 8. The winner will go toe-to-toe with the Falcons for the CSAC Softball Championship at 11:30 AM. To stay connected to everything regarding the CSAC Softball Playoffs, follow THIS LINK to the CSAC Tournament Page.
