Box Score BOX SCORE
When and Where: May 7, 2016 – Lakewood, N.J. (Georgian Court University)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 4, Caldwell University 3
Records: SNHU 28-13, Caldwell 36-14
Junior Erin Morrissey (Commack, N.Y.) connected on an RBI single to left that broke a three-all tie in the eighth inning to lift fourth-seeded Southern New Hampshire University to a 4-3 victory over top-seeded Caldwell University in the winner's bracket semifinal of the NCAA Division II Softball East 1 Regional on Saturday. The Penmen advance to Sunday's final, and will face the winner of this afternoon's game between the Cougars and fifth-seeded Le Moyne College.
After fellow junior Jessica Torsiello (Morris Plains, N.J.) tagged a one-out double to the gap in right-center, Morrissey stepped in next and laced the go-ahead single into left field that allowed Torsiello to cross the plate with what proved to be the game-winning run. Sophomore Sarah Lavallee (Candia, N.H.) made sure the lead held with a perfect bottom of the eighth to improve to 18-6 in the circle.
Caldwell jumped ahead 1-0 in the home half of the first as Brielle Reighn lifted a sacrifice fly to left that brought in Amy Hickman, who earlier reached on an error, with the game's first run.
Neither side was able to generate any offense until the top of the fifth when the Penmen pushed across three runs with one swing of the bat. Sophomore Brittany Perdigao (Stoughton, Mass.) led off the frame with a triple to right before senior Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.) reached on an infield hit that left runners at the corners for freshman Erin Garczynski (Norwood, Mass.). Garczynski then drilled a three-run shot to left that staked Southern New Hampshire to a 3-1 lead.
The SNHU advantage would be short-lived, however, as the Cougars scratched across single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to draw even. Reighn collected her second RBI of the afternoon on a run-scoring groundout in the fifth before Kiahna Silva was the beneficiary of a Penmen fielding miscue that allowed the tying run to scamper across.
After a scoreless seventh, Torsiello and Morrissey combined to provide the winning run in the eighth.
Morrissey finished 2-for-3 and drove in one against Caldwell, while senior Katie Caruso (Newton, Mass.) recorded three hits in four trips to the plate. Perdigao and Torsiello each added two hits in support of Lavallee, who went the distance and allowed just one earned run on six hits while striking out three in eight innings.
Notes:
- Lavallee worked around three errors behind her to register her 21st complete-game effort of the season. She also allowed one earned run or fewer for the 17th time this year.
- The Penmen outhit the Cougars by a 13-6 margin, with seven of Southern New Hampshire's nine starters accounting for at least one hit.
What's Next:
Southern New Hampshire continues NCAA East 1 Regional action on Sunday (May 8) at 10 a.m. when it plays the winner of Saturday's contest between Caldwell and Le Moyne.
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