Day one of the AMCC softball championship tournament is in the books, with few surprises but enough late inning challenge to keep everyone on their toes.
The first game featured #3 seed and defending champion Penn St. Behrend, one of three teams that tied for the regular season title, vs. #6 Mount Aloysius College. Lions’ P Rachel Miller held the Mounties to just 4 hits in a 2-0 decision, raising her record to 9-2 on the season. MAC OF Kaleigh Roop had the most success against Miller, with a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
Game 2 saw #4 La Roche College build an early lead against #5 Pitt-Greensburg and then hang on for a 5-4 victory. LRC 2B Aubriatta Martin flexed her muscle at the plate, going 3-for-3 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored, while OF Savannah Leonard went 3-for-4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. For Pitt-Greensburg, SS Morgan Russo and OF Alyssa Panza shared identical lines, going 3-for-4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. P Hayley Lashinsky got the W for La Roche, with help from Kaylee Grassmyer in relief.
Penn St. Behrend returned to the field in Game 3, facing #2 seed Penn St. Altoona. This highly anticipated match-up between two of the three teams tied for the regular season conference title went scoreless for the first three innings. Behrend then caught fire and loaded the bases in the fourth and C Sarah Blagg drove in all three with a triple. Altoona countered with an RBI by OF Mackenzie Strubhar, and the score remained 3-1 for another inning when PSA added another to close the gap to 3-2. The Altoona Lions could not muster any more offense after that, and the pitching duo of AJ Nichols and Alexa Bupp combined for their team’s 25th win of the year.
Host and top seed D’Youville College took on La Roche in the fourth and final game of the day. The Spartans scored three in the second then snuffed a rally by the Redhawks in the third to hold a 3-1 lead. A 3-run fifth cemented the win for a 6-1 final score. Kalie McHenry earned her league-leading 22nd win of the season, with help from SS Mackenzie Kehlenbeck (2 RBA and 1 run scored) and OF Lydia Monin (2-for-4, 1 RBI and 1 run scored). Switching from the circle to the outfield, LRC's Hayley Lashinsky continued to shine, going 2-for-3 at the plate with the team's lone RBI.
Play resumes in the double elimination tournament on Saturday at 9am when Pitt-Greensburg takes on Penn St. Altoona, followed by Mount Aloysius vs. La Roche, with the winners advancing and their opponents calling it a season. Penn St. Behrend and D’Youville, the only two undefeated teams remaining, will play at approximately 1pm.
The championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 10am. The winner will receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III tournament.