(05-02-08)
Box Score vs. (1) #10 C.W. Post / Box Score vs. (2) Adelphi
BROOKHAVEN, N.Y. -- UNH rallied from a four-run deficit, but second-seeded Adelphi got back-to-back doubles in the top of the sixth inning to eliminate the Chargers from the East Coast Conference Softball Championships, 5-4 on Friday afternoon. UNH lost to top-seeded and 10th-ranked C.W. Post earlier in the day, 6-2.
UNH (25-19) will now look forward to the selections for the 2008 NCAA Division II Softball Championships Northeast Regional, which will be held at C.W. Post from May 7-11. The Chargers were ranked eighth in the Northeast Region entering the ECC Championships, but have since scored wins over Dowling and Adelphi, along with losses to the teams ranked 1-2 in the region.
GAME TWO - (2) Adelphi 5, (3) UNH 4
UNH rallied from a four-run deficit, but second-seeded Adelphi got back-to-back doubles in the top of the sixth inning to eliminate the Chargers from the East Coast Conference Softball Championships, 5-4 on Friday afternoon.
UNH (25-19), the third seed playing as the home team in this game, found itself down 4-0 after Adelphi (40-18) got three runs in its first two at-bats and added a tally in the top of the fourth.
But the Chargers, who lost 6-2 at the hands of 10th-ranked and top-seeded C.W. Post in the day's first game, refused to quit. They put up four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, benefitting from a pair of errors at third base, three singles and a walk.
With one out, Samantha Minervini started the rally when she reached thanks to an error at third base. After a fly out, Meghan Walter walked and Breanne Gleason singled up the middle to load the bases. Nicole Downs followed with a run-scoring single to center, and Jessica Medina drove in another run with a grounder to third base that was mishandled. Jordanna Borska singled to center to plate two more runs and tie the contest.
But with one out in the sixth, Julie Schaper and Dely Francisco doubled in succession to make it a 5-4 contest.
UNH would put two on in the sixth inning, getting back-to-back singles from Walter and Gleason, but three straight outs by the 3-4-5 hitters ended the inning. UNH got a walk with two outs in the seventh, but a pop up to third base ended the contest.
In all, UNH left 11 on base in the game, including bases loaded in the first inning as the 4-5-6 hitters each made outs.
GAME ONE: (1) #10 C.W. Post 6, UNH 2
Melissa Medina went 4-for-4 and scored three runs as No. 10 C.W. Post defeated the University of New Haven in an ECC semifinal game on Friday morning at Dowling College's Golden Lions Field.
The win improves C.W. Post to 43-14 overall and sets the Pioneers in Saturday's championship game, while New Haven drops to 25-18.
The Pioneers got on the board in the first inning when Medina singled, moved all the way around to third on Kelsey Cooley’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Melissa Hippo’s sacrifice fly to left field.
C.W. Post pushed across three more runs in the second, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of Cooley. New Haven touched starter Samantha Yodowitz for two runs in the third, courtesy of a Pioneer error and an RBI double to left field by Meghan Walter.
The Pioneers added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, on an RBI double by Christie Softy and another sacrifice fly by Hippo.
Yodowitz earned her 25th win of the season, throwing seven innings and allowing only two runs on four hits, striking out three. Yodowitz also contributed two hits at the plate.
For UNH, Walter was the lone player with multiple hits (2-for-3), driving in a run, while Samantha Minervini also drove in a run and scored once. Starting pitcher Breanne Gleason gave up six runs, but only three were earned thanks to a pair of errors. She struck out five.
Special thanks to C.W. Post sports information for the bulk of this story.
2008 East Coast Conference Softball Championships
DAY ONE - Wednesday, April 30
Game 1: at (3) New Haven 11, (6) Dowling 3 (6 innings)
Game 2: (5) Bridgeport 1, at (4) New York Tech 0
DAY TWO - Thursday, May 1
(at Dowling College/Brookhaven, N.Y.)
Game 3: (3) New Haven 6, (2) Adelphi 3
Game 4: (1) #10 C.W. Post 4, (5) Bridgeport 3
Game 5: (2) Adelphi 6, (4) New York Tech 2 (NYIT eliminated)
Game 6: (5) Bridgeport 3, (6) Dowling 2 (Dowling eliminated)
DAY THREE - Friday, May 2
(at Dowling College/Brookhaven, N.Y.)
Game 7: (1) #10 C.W. Post 6, (3) New Haven 2
Game 8: (2) Adelphi 6, (5) Bridgeport 5 (Bridgeport eliminated)
Game 9: (2) Adelphi 5, (3) New Haven 4 (New Haven eliminated)
DAY FOUR - Saturday, May 3
(at Dowling College/Brookhaven, N.Y.)
Game 10: (1) #10 C.W. Post vs. (2) Adelphi, 12:00 p.m.
Game 11: (1) #10 C.W. Post vs. (2) Adelphi (if necessary), 30 minutes later
