Canisius Earns 3-2 Win Over LIU in NCAA Softball Championship

Canisius Earns 3-2 Win Over LIU in NCAA Softball Championship

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MAAC Sports

HEAMPSTEAD, N.Y. ? Canisius junior Jenny Maheu drilled an RBI double in the top half of the seventh and senior pitcher Lindsay Morris tossed three shutout innings where she gave up two hits and fanned four to help lead the Golden Griffins to a 3-2 win over Long Island in the first elimination game of the 2008 NCAA Regional in Hempstead, N.Y., Saturday evening. The win allows Canisius to advance to the loser’s bracket championship game on Sunday morning where the Blue and Gold will meet host Hofstra. Long Island’s season comes to an end with the loss.

The NCAA Tournament win was the fifth in Canisius’ history and the first for the program since 2000. The Griffs are now 39-13 on the year, while the Blackbirds see their season end at 34-17.

Maheu came to the plate with two outs and runners at first and second base in the seventh and broke the 2-2 tie with her team-leading 15th double of the season off losing pitcher Blaire Porter. Maheu’s double bounced off the base of the wall in left centerfield and allowed fellow junior Rachelle Barrientos to score from second. In the bottom half of the frame, pinch hitter Amanda MacIntosh reached base with a one-out single to left and was lifted for a pinch runner, but that would be the end of Long Island’s threat, as Morris got Lauren Kemp to pop out to catcher Michelle Fridey for the second out and then fanned designated player Ayzsha Ervin to end the contest. Long Island ended the game with six hits, led by shortstop Celina Castillo and her game-high three singles.

Morris moved to 11-6 on the season with the win for the Griffs, her first victory in the circle since April 24, when the Blue and Gold defeated Syracuse at home. Morris came in to relieve starter Juliette Bowers, who went four innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four and walking two.

Canisius took a 2-0 lead in the third when Fridey drove in pinch runner Jess Stackhouse with an RBI single. On that play, Long Island was charged with a throwing error that also allowed senior Brittany Bonetto to score. In the fourth, the Blackbirds tied the game at 2-2 after Brittany Murphy dropped a two-out single into centerfield that allowed two runs to cross the plate.

Maheu went 1-for-4 with the double and an RBI, while senior Katie Miranto was 1-for-2 with a double. Fridey had a single and an RBI in the win for the Griffs with Ashley Bonetto and Emily Helbig also picking up hits in the winning effort.

“I thought we played hard this evening and it feels really good to get a win in the NCAA Tournament,” Canisius head coach Mike Rappl said. “We got a lot of contributions from everyone on the roster today. I told them to go out and give it their best effort and they did. I’m so proud of the hard work this team has put in this year and this win is a sign of the effort this group has given since day one.”

Canisius will return to action Sunday at 10 a.m., when the team meets Hofstra. The winner of that game will advance to the regional’s championship round and will meet No. 9 Arizona, with first pitch set for 12:30 p.m.