DUNDALK, Md. – The Cedar Crest College softball team took two games from Notre Dame of Maryland University on Saturday afternoon in a Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) twin bill. The Falcons held off the Gators in game one, 9-6, before earning the 4-0 triumph in the second game, which was called after five innings due to weather.

Game One – Cedar Crest 9, Notre Dame of Maryland 6

Cedar Crest opened the contest with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Graduate student Delaney VanBuskirk (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge) singled in classmate Ashley Heller (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) to give the Falcons the 1-0 lead. The visitors added another when senior Reilly Mateljan (Friedens, Pa./Somerset Area) stole home to push the score to 2-0.

The Falcons tacked on four more in the fifth. Mateljan connected on a single to bring around first-year Laney Ferraro (Philadelphia, Pa./New Foundations Charter) for the initial tally of the frame. In the next at-bat VanBuskirk delivered a two-run single, which scored Mateljan and Heller. The last run came on an RBI single from sophomore Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter). The base-hit allowed VanBuskirk to cross home to stretch the lead to 6-0.

Notre Dame of Maryland put up two runs in the home half of the fifth. First-year Emma Livingston (Frederick, Md.) scored on an infield fly by sophomore Bethani Newbold (Anniston, Ala.) while sophomore Ciarra Bockstie (Nottingham, Md.) singled in senior Jessie Leatherwood (Towson, Md.) to make the score 6-2.

Cedar Crest answered back with two of its own in the sixth. First-year Taylor Faw (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie) touched home on a sacrifice fly to center field from Heller. VanBuskirk knocked in the second run of the frame on a single. The base-hit plated Ferraro to push the margin back to six, 8-2.

The Gators registered one in the home half of the sixth when Burton recorded a double, bringing around Livingston.

The Falcons made a six-run contest in the seventh as Kline crossed home on a wild pitch to make the score 9-3.

Notre Dame of Maryland University made a late rally, pushing across three in the bottom of the seventh. First-year Scarlett Miller (Baltimore, Md.) plated classmate Lilyian Hafner (Dundalk, Md.) with a double. First-year Gena Donalds (Allen, Md.) then scored on a wild pitch. The last tally came after Miller also scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-6, the eventual final.

Junior Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) was credited with the win in the circle for Cedar Crest. She gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits. Mundy also picked up a pair of strikeouts in the triumph.

Leatherwood was given the loss for the Gators, surrendering two runs on two hits while walking four over three innings of work.

VanBuskirk guided the Falcons' offense, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. Classmate Rachel Savini (Wilmington, Del./Delaware Military Academy) went 2-for-4 as the other Cedar Crest player with multiple hits.

Bockstie and Donalds finished with two hits apiece for Notre Dame of Maryland.

Game Two – Cedar Crest 4, Notre Dame of Maryland 0 (Five Innings)

Cedar Crest started the scoring in the third inning after Kline singled in Mateljan to put the Falcons up, 1-0.

The visitors added three more in the fourth. Faw registered the next run when she crossed home on a fielder's choice from classmate Natalie Hasert (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township), which was followed by a throwing error. Heller and VanBuskirk scored the final pair via bases-loaded walks for the 4-0 score.

The game was called after five innings due to weather conditions.

Mundy secured her second win of the day, only allowing three hits over five innings. She walked one and struck out one in her 15^th victory of the season.

Donalds was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs (one earned) over 3.2 innings.  

Mateljan led Cedar Crest at the plate in game two, finishing 2-for-4 with one run scored. Kline registered a perfect 2-for-2 performance with two RBI while Heller added the last hit.

Cedar Crest (15-13 overall, 12-2 CSAC) will close out conference play in its next contests on Wednesday, April 26 in a doubleheader at the University of Valley Forge, starting at 4:00 p.m. Notre Dame of Maryland (11-15 overall, 4-8 CSAC) will stay home to take on Christendom College in a non-conference twin bill on Tuesday, April 25 at 4:00 p.m.

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