No. 25 Softball Takes First Game Of NCAA East Super Regional Against Merrimack, 4-2
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 20, 2011) – Despite an hour-long rain delay in the fourth inning, the No. 25 C.W. Post Softball took the first win in the NCAA East Super Regional with a 4-2 win against Merrimack College Friday afternoon at the Softball Complex.
C.W. Post improves to 40-14 overall, completing its fifth 40-win season in the last six seasons. Merrimack's record slips to 31-22 overall. With a best-of-three format in place for, the Pioneers will look to close out the regional by defeating Merrimack in game two tomorrow (12 p.m. start time) to advance to the World Series in Salem, Va. A Merrimack win would force a game three, which would start at 2:30 p.m.
The Pioneers took little time to score their first runs of the game as they went ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Freshman shortstop Britney Agostini (Dover, Del.) recorded her first career triple that scored junior second baseman Kendall Bright (Manlius, N.Y.), who led off with a single up the middle. Agostini spent little time at third as she came home in the next at bat on a single up the middle from junior right fielder Krysta Palazzo (Sea Cliff, N.Y.).
The Pioneers added one run in the bottom of the third when Bright hit a single to left field that brought in sophomore first baseman Kaci Hopkins (New Egypt, N.J.).
After an hour rain delay that began during the top half of the fourth, the Warriors broke through with a run when Tawny Palmieri, who led the inning off with a walk, scored from third on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 3-1.
C.W. Post got one more run in the fifth when freshman third baseman Nicole Hagenah (Commack, N.Y.) belted her 14th home run of the season that cleared the left field fence.
Merrimack refused to go away quietly though as the Warriors cut the lead in half in the sixth when Monique Gosselin drilled a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left center. The Pioneers got out of the jam to keep their two-run lead.
The Warriors threatened once more in the top of the seventh when Kristen LeMay reached with a two-out single to right field. But senior pitcher Christina Berardi (Raynham, Mass.) closed out the game in the next at bat by getting a strike out call against Jamie Millett to end the game.
Hagenah and Bright each went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. Agostini and Palazzo each had an RBI as well.
Berardi won her 23rd game of the season after allowing two earned runs on three hits and five walks while striking out nine through seven innings.
Kelli Jo Deardorff was handed the loss after allowing four earned runs on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Gosselin, LeMay and Jessica Fugazzotto each had a hit for the Warriors.