ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College softball team split a pair of conference games against Saint Elizabeth University on Wednesday afternoon at Cynthia L. Blaschak Field on Senior Day. The Falcon took the opener 9-7 and then fell in game two, 7-4.
After the games, the program honored its four seniors:
Lillian Boltz (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury),
Sophia Callari (Asbury, N.J./North Hunterdon),
Rachel Savini (Wilmington, Del./Delaware Military Academy), and
Delaney VanBuskirk (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge) in a special ceremony.
Game One – Cedar Crest 9, Saint Elizabeth 7
The Eagles scored once in the first inning to jump out to a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Carly Bressler (Piscataway, N.J.) knocked in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing in junior Amanda Lopez (Yucaipa, Calif.) from third.
The Falcons responded with two runs in the second inning. A two-run single by freshman
Alex Mullen (Prospect Park, Pa. /Interboro ) put the Falcons in front, 2-1.
After Saint Elizabeth scratched across a run in the third, Cedar Crest added three runs in the home half. Graduate student
Nicole Santaniello (Kissimmee, Fla./Osceola) connected on a solo home run to right center to start the scoring. After a triple by graduate student
Riley Tremblay (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), junior
Brianna Lankford (Hanover, Pa./South Western Senior) delivered an RBI groundout. VanBuskirk finished the scoring in the frame with a one-run single to center, bringing around freshman
Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter) to extend the margin to three, 5-2.
The Eagles got three runs back in the fourth to tie the game at five. Junior Jessica O'Malley (Jefferson, N.J.) stole home while junior Morgan Wehrle (Sayreville, N.J.) and graduate student Alyssa Hampton (Manchester, N.J.) scored on a throwing error.
The Falcons tacked on a pair in the home half of the fourth to regain the lead. Santaniello had an RBI groundout to second, bringing home junior
Renee Snyder (Allentown, Pa./Parkland). In the next at-bat, Tremblay converted a single up the middle, scoring Savini.
Cedar Crest added another tally in the fifth on a Snyder single up the middle. The base knock scored junior
Reilly Mateljan (Friedens, Pa./Somerset Area) to make the score 8-4.
After Saint Elizabeth got two across in the sixth, the Falcons got one more in the next half inning. Lankford hit a double to right field, bringing home Tremblay for the 9-7 final.
Sophomore
Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) (9-7 overall) allowed seven runs (four earned) on seven hits and struck out three in the win. Hampton yielded nine runs (seven earned) on 15 hits and fanned three in the loss.
Snyder, Tremblay, and Lankford paced Cedar Crest with three hits apiece in the contest.
Game Two – Saint Elizabeth 7, Cedar Crest 4
Saint Elizabeth jumped ahead 5-0 in the top of the first to grab the early advantage.
The Falcons got a run back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout to the pitcher by Lankford. The play scored Snyder to make it a 5-1 game.
The Eagles tacked on one in the third on a Hampton single through the left side. The base hit brought home Bressler.
Cedar Crest answered with two in the home half of the third, both of which came on a two-run home run by freshman
Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter) to cut the deficit to three, 6-3.
Saint Elizabeth extended the margin back to four in the sixth on an RBI double to left center, which scored junior Jennifer Tinger (Garwood, N.J.).
The Falcons plated one more run in the contest, which came in the seventh inning. VanBuskirk doubled to left field, scoring Kline for the 7-4 final.
Boltz took the loss for Cedar Crest, surrendering seven runs (three earned) on seven hits. Hampton secured the win in the circle for the Eagles. She allowed four runs on 11 hits to go with one walk and one strikeout in the complete game effort.
Kline went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored in the nightcap.
Cedar Crest (17-12 overall,10-4 CSAC) will conclude the regular season on Saturday, April 30 at Keystone College in a conference doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.
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