Hackettstown, NJ – The sixth-seeded Griffins of Gwynedd Mercy defeated the third-seeded Centenary Cyclones 14-8 in this afternoon's first round action of the Colonial States Athletic Conference playoffs. The loss ends the Cyclones playoff run with an overall record of 19-20, while the Griffins improve to 18-15 as they also advance in the CSAC Tournament.
Gwynedd came out swinging amassing a 10-0 lead after two big innings. In the first, the Griffins belted out five hits to score six runs as Megan Kelly's two-RBI single and Jessica Behr's grand slam highlighted the inning.
After a quick three and out for the Cyclones in the bottom of the first, Gwynedd tacked on four more runs in the second off two hits and a Cyclone error. This time, Megan Kelly would send one deep over the left field fence for the three-run shot.
Trailing 10-0, the Cyclones began to battle back and chip away at the lead in a two-out rally plating three runs in the bottom of the second.
Jamie Weingarten kept the inning going with a single that squeaked past the second baseman, followed by an RBI single to right by
Sammie Darling. Senior
Samantha Belmonte steps up to the plate and blasts a triple to center to drive in two more runs (10-3).
The score would stay at 10-3 until the top of the fourth where the Griffin bats would once again light things up to push across three runs off four hits (13-3).
In the bottom of the fourth the Cyclones kept their composure as they began to threaten after a lead-off walk for Weingarten and a single from Darling occupied the bags with no outs. Belmonte would sacrifice herself with a perfect bunt to move the runners over to the left side and put them in prime scoring position. Freshman
Ashley Eisenstein singled up the middle for the RBI but a line out and a groundout would leave two Cyclones stranded.
With Centenary down 13-4 heading into the fifth, the Griffins got runners on but the Cyclones managed to keep them from crossing home plate.
Facing a nine-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth, the Cyclones did not give up scoring two runs to stay alive, 13-6.
Gwynedd would add another insurance run in the top of the seventh (14-6) but the Cyclones wouldn't stop battling as they pushed two runs across after
Kylie Morgan-Polefkatripled to right to score teammates
Jessica Curtis and
Erin Walsh (14-8). The rally however, would end there with two fly outs to the outfield.
Centenary's
Erin Walsh collected a pair of hits as she recorded her 100
th hit in her second at bat with a double to center.
Becca Raymond and
Sammie Darling also had two hits in the contest driving in one run.
Gwynedd Mercy will now advance to the four-team double-elimination CSAC tournament hosted by Neumann University this weekend.
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