Four Teams Remain After Day Two of the 2019 MAAC Softball Championship

Four Teams Remain After Day Two of the 2019 MAAC Softball Championship

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No. 5 Niagara University – 3 | No. 6 Fairfield University - 2
2019 MAAC Softball Championship - Day Two
Softball Park at Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie, NY
 
Niagara (16-31) eliminated Fairfield (26-23) from the 2019 MAAC Softball Championship with a 3-2 walk off victory. Kelsey Harrigan was the hero for the Purple Eagles with a solo home run to center in the bottom of the seventh to lift Niagara. Niagara would move on to play Siena in the second elimination game of the day.
 
Niagara Notes
  • Niagara responded to Fairfield’s early start with one run of their own, with Maggie Vesneske going yard in the bottom of the first
  • Kelsey Harrigan tacked on a run for the Purple Eagles in the second inning with a full count, two out, bases loaded RBI single to score Kendall Watkins
  • Starting Pitcher Karson Cotton went 3.0 innings for the Purple Eagles, allowing one run on three hits
  • Kelsey Harrigan walked it off for the Purple Eagles with a solo blast in the bottom of the seventh to keep Niagara’s postseason alive
  • Sierra Bertrand finished the game and collected the win, allowing one run over 4.0 innings while striking out four
 Fairfield Notes
  • The Stags grabbed the first run of the day with a RBI double from starting pitcher Lauren Rhinehart, scoring Alisha Marshall
  • Fairfield tied the game at two in the sixth with a bases loaded walk from Lacey Olaff
  • Rhinehart pitched all 6.1 innings for the Stags, giving up two earned runs on four hits, striking out four
  • Also collecting hits for Fairfield was Amanda Ulzheimer, Alisha Marshall, and Courtney Hankins
  • The Stags finish their season with an overall record of 26-24
 
No. 2 Monmouth University – 11 | No. 3 Siena College - 1
2019 MAAC Softball Championship - Day Two
Softball Park at Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie, NY
 
Monmouth (34-16) defeated Siena (22-24) 11-1 by mercy rule in the fifth inning. The Hawks launched three out of the park, propelling the team to the next stage of the winner’s bracket. Siena would move on to play Niagara in the 4:30 p.m. elimination game, while the Hawks move on to play Marist tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
 
Monmouth Notes
  • Monmouth’s offense came to life in the second inning with a leadoff double from Katie Harrington, who would come around to score off a RBI single from Jasmine Higa
  • Lindsey Baron would score Higa on the next at bat off an error from the Siena shortstop
  • Kayla Rosado and Amber Wozniak hit back-to-back home runs to start the third for Monmouth, giving the Hawks a 4-1 lead
  • The Hawks would go on to score seven in the third, batting around the lineup and increasing the lead to 9-1
  • Danielle Dominik had a two-run pinch-hit home run in the fourth
  • Alyssa Irons pitched all 5.0 innings for the Hawks, giving up one run on four hits with three strikeouts
 Siena Notes
  • Madysen Cossack won the first MAAC Player vs Picher of the Year battle with a solo home run off Monmouth’s Irons in the first
  • Neysa Ouellette went 2-2 with two singles
  • Jess Volmer also collected a hit for Siena
  • Siena’s shutout streak would end at 19.1 innings with a RBI single from Monmouth’s Higa
 
No. 1 Marist College – 2 | No. 4 Iona College - 1
2019 MAAC Softball Championship - Day Two
Softball Park at Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie, NY
 
Marist (34-20) defeated Iona (19-26) in walk off fashion to advance in the winner’s bracket of the 2019 MAAC Softball Championship. The game was a pitchers’ duel, with Marist’s Phippen and Iona’s Zazzaro entering the contest with the league’s two lowest ERAs. Down to their final out, the Red Foxes used a two out rally to drive them into tomorrow’s game against Monmouth at 11:00 a.m. Iona will play Niagara in the elimination bracket tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.
 
Marist Notes
  • Calista Phippen didn’t allow a baserunner for 3.1 innings, with Iona’s Meray reaching on an error
  • Morgan Gianelle was able to grab Marist’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth
  • Hailee Jantorno pinch-hit in the bottom of the sixth for the Red Foxes, moving both baserunners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt
  • Marist was unable to score in the sixth with runners on first and second with no outs
  • Trailing 1-0 and down to the last out, Claire Oberdorf launched a solo home run to center to tie the game
  • Kaley Coltrain singled after Oberdorf’s home run, then scored the winning run on a throwing error after Morgan Gianelle put the ball into play the next at bat
 Iona Notes
  • The Gaels grabbed the first hit of either side on the day with a one out single from Jasmine Temple in the third
  • Iona scored the first run of the game on a RBI single from Kimmie Chiapparelli
  • Kara Zazzaro took a perfect game into the fifth before giving up a leadoff single
  • The rookie pitcher needed only six pitches to get through the fifth inning
  • Zazzaro finished by going 6.2 innings, allowing only one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts
 
No. 5 Niagara University – 5 | No. 3 Siena College – 1
2019 MAAC Softball Championship - Day Two
Softball Park at Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie, NY
 
Niagara (17-31) fought off elimination by taking down Siena (22-25) in both teams’ second game of the day. After falling behind early, the Purple Eagles scored five unanswered runs to advance to the next stage of the elimination bracket. Three of Niagara’s five runs were unearned. The Purple Eagles will play Iona tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. in the elimination bracket.
 
Niagara Notes
  • Niagara tied the game in the bottom of the first with solo shot to center from Heather Haberman
  • The Purple Eagles would take the lead in the same inning, scoring runs off an error and a double steal to jump ahead 3-1
  • Jennifer Timm scored by tagging up on a deep foul out from Kelsey Herrigan in the fourth
  • Kelsey Harrigan hit a foul ball deep enough in the fourth, caught for an out, to score a tagging Jennifer Timm from third
  • Jennifer Szilagyi’s day ended after 3.0 innings, giving up only one run on four hits
  • Karson Cotton came in relief of Szilagyi, collecting the win by going 4.0 shutout innings and only giving up one hit
 Siena Notes
  • The Saints started early with a RBI double off the bat of Lauren Sabihon in the first to put Siena ahead
  • Siena was able to escape from a bases loaded, no out jam in the fifth without allowing a run
  • Maddie McMahon went 5.0 innings, giving up four runs, two of which were unearned, on seven hits with two strikeouts
  • MAAC Player of the Year Madysen Cossack finished the game with a walk and a run
  • Sabihon and Jess Vollmer both went 2-3
 
The 2019 MAAC Softball Championship takes place May 8-11 and is hosted by top seeded Marist. For more information on the 2019 Softball Championship, visit maacsports.com/softball. Championship tickets can be purchased at maacsports.com/tickets and will also be sold on-site during the championship.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 38th year of competition during the 2018-19 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.