SEGUIN, Texas – Sixth-seeded Cedar Crest College posted an 8-5 win over #5 Bridgewater State University in an elimination game on Friday evening at the 2021 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament Seguin Regional hosted by Texas Lutheran University at Ed Kruse Stadium.
The Falcons (18-4) will advance to Saturday and will play at 4:00 PM against an opponent to be determined. The Bears went 0-2 at the regional and finished the season with an overall record of 17-11-1.
Bridgewater State jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning. Megan Sharon (East Longmeadow, Mass.) reached on an infield hit, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and raced home on Kelley Reichert's (Milford, Mass.) two-out RBI single.
Cedar Crest answered with three runs in the top of the second off BSU starter Laura Hatch (Middleboro, Mass.). With one out, back-to-back singles by Dallas Horning (Bethlehem, Pa.) and Rachel Savini (Wilmington, Dela.) and a walk to Danielle Krispin (Tunkhannock, Pa.) loaded the bases. Ashley Heller (Allentown, Pa.) connected for a two-run single and Riley Tremblay (Wilmington, Dela.) followed with an RBI single to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead.
Tremblay's clutch two-out, bases clearing, three-run double in the top of the third inning off reliever Kelley Reichert (Milford, Mass.) extended the Cedar Crest advantage to 6-1.
The Falcons tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Renee Snyder (Allentown, Pa.) knocked in a run with an RBI single, while the second run scored as a result of a BSU error.
The Bears capitalized on some shaky Cedar Crest defense in the home half of the fifth to cut the deficit to 8-4. Sharon doubled to left with one out in the frame and came around to score when Emma Healy (Plymouth, Mass.) reached on a two-base throwing error. Alexandra Ruprecht (Kingston, Mass.) followed with a base hit to put runners at the corners and Reichert knocked in Healy with an RBI single. Corrine Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa.) came on in relief and promptly walked Ava Novakoski (Auburn, Mass.) to load the bases. A fielder's choice ground out brought in Ruprecht with the third run of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kim Scanlon (Medford, Mass.) walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on a ground out and came home on Sharon's RBI ground out to make it an 8-5 game.
The Bears put two runners on base with nobody out in the seventh when Ruprecht singled and Reichert reached on an error. Mundy, however, retired the next three batters to close out the game and secure the win for the Falcons.
Breanna Young (Easton, Pa.) got the start and picked up the win for the Cedar Crest. Young (8-1) allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits with a pair of walks in 4 1/3 innings of work. Mundy gave up a run on just one hit and walked two in 2 2/3 innings of relief as she recorded her first save of the season.
Hatch (0-2), who was making her first appearance since April 24th, suffered the loss in the circle for the Bears as she gave up three runs on five hits with a walk over two innings. Reichert allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings of relief with two walks and two strikeouts.
Tremblay finished 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and four RBI to highlight the Falcons' 12-hit attack. Horning (2-3, R) and Savini (2-3, BB, 2R) also notched multiple hits for Cedar Crest. Krispin singled and walked in four plate appearances and scored three runs, while Heller went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs and two RBI.
Reichert went 3-for-4 with two RBI to pace the BSU offense. Sharon (2-4, 2B, SB, 2R, RBI) and Ruprecht (2-4, R) also recorded multiple hits for the Bears. The trio accounted for all seven of Bridgewater's hits.