ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College softball team earned a sweep of Notre Dame of Maryland University in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play, winning game one 12-11 in a walk-off and capped the day with a 16-7 victory in six innings on Sunday afternoon at Cynthia L. Blaschak Field. 

Game One – Cedar Crest 12, Notre Dame of Maryland 11

A walk-off single led Cedar Crest past NDMU in the first game of the day. With the score knotted at 11 in the bottom of the seventh, graduate student Riley Tremblay (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) connected on a single to left center, which drove in senior Rachel Savini (Wilmington, Del./Delaware Military Academy) for the winning run.

The base paths were crowded all game as the Falcons collected 14 hits and the Gators had 17. Savini, graduate student Nicole Santaniello (Kissimmee, Fla./Osceola), and Tremblay had three hits apiece to lead Cedar Crest.

After giving up a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, the Falcons answered back with two in the home half to tie the contest. Junior Renee Snyder (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) scored on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Tremblay tied the game at 2-2.

Notre Dame plated five runs in the second all of which came by way of RBI singles as the Gators moved out in front 7-2.

Cedar Crest picked up a run in the third on an RBI single by freshman Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter).

The Falcons sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth, registering five runs, all with two outs. Savini started things with a two-run single to right field, scoring senior Sophia Callari (Asbury, N.J./North Hunterdon) and junior Brianna Lankford (Hanover, Pa./South Western Senior). Back-to-back RBI triples by Santaniello and

Tremblay deadlocked the game at seven and Cedar Crest pulled out in front on an RBI single up the middle from Kline for the 8-7 advantage.

The Falcons padded the margin in the fifth after Lankford scored on a fielding error, which made it a 9-7 ball game.

Notre Dame came back with a pair of runs to tie the game at nine-all in the sixth. Freshman Kendall Snyder (Hanover, Pa.) had an RBI groundout, bringing around senior Maci Lopez (Baltimore, Md.) while freshman Ciarra Bockstie (Nottingham, Md.) had an RBI base-hit to short, scoring junior Jesse Leatherwood (Towson, Md.).

Cedar Crest regained the lead in the sixth after Tremblay scored on a wild pitch, making it 10-9.

The teams traded two runs each in the seventh.

The Gators grabbed the advantage on a two-run single to center field, bringing around Leatherwood and Lopez.

After a flyout, an error, and a walk, Santaniello tied the game with a base-hit to right field, scoring Snyder. Tremblay followed with a single to left center, plating Santaniello to seal the win for the Falcons.

Sophomore Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) was credited with the win in the circle for Cedar Crest. She went the final 5.2 innings and allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking two.

Game Two – Cedar Crest 16, 7 (Six Innings)

After Notre Dame of Maryland University scored twice in the top of the first, the Falcons chalked up six runs in the next half inning. Savini had an RBI groundout, scoring Snyder for the opening tally for Cedar Crest. The scoring continued when Santaniello crossed home on a passed ball. In the next at-bat, Kline connected on a home run to center field, her second of the season. Four batters later, Callari singled to left field, bringing around senior Delaney VanBuskirk (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge). The last run of the frame came as Lankford scored on a wild pitch.

The Gators responded with one in the third, but Cedar Crest went on to score four in the home half making it an 11-3 score. Freshman Alex Mullen (Prospect Park, Pa. /Interboro ) began the scoring when she crossed home on a wild pitch. In the following at-bat, Snyder scored on a sacrifice fly to right from Santaniello. Tremblay and Kline each delivered RBI singles up the middle to push the score to 11-3.

NDMU got four runs back in the fourth with one swing of the bat. Bethani Newbold hit a one-out grand slam to center field, which cut the Cedar Crest advantage to just four, 11-7.

The Falcons went on to register the final five runs of the contest to end it in six innings, 16-7. Snyder had a sacrifice bunt in the fourth to bring home Mullen in the fourth. Cedar Crest then plated four runs in the sixth to end the contest. Freshman Anaya Duncan (Baltimore, Md. /Franklin) scored on a passed ball to start the eventual last inning. Snyder had an RBI single and the game ended after a two-run single to right field from Savini.

Savini had a 3-for-4 showing at the plate with one run and three RBI as Snyder and Tremblay went 2-for-3, three runs scored, and two RBI. Kline also had a strong game, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Additionally, VanBuskirk also finished with two hits on the afternoon.

Freshman BB Aquila (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) struck out a season-high six Gator batters to pick up her second win on the season as freshman Madison Zielke (Rochester, N.Y.) suffered the loss from the circle, surrendering six runs on four hits in her outing.

Cedar Crest (10-9 overall, 5-3 CSAC) will stay at home to play Marywood University on Thursday, April 14 in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. NDMU (4-8 overall, 1-3 CSAC) will return home to welcome in Keystone College for a CSAC tilt on Wednesday, April 13 beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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