LAKEWOOD, N.J. – It was a tale of two games for the eighth-seeded Post University softball team on day one of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament as the Eagles split to advance to round two on Friday. Post fell to top-seed Caldwell 9-1 in five innings to start the day, but rallied to win by the same score against #4 Wilmington.
Game One - #1 Caldwell 9, #8 Post 1, F/5
Post had just two baserunners and were held hitless over the first three innings against the Cougars. Caldwell, meanwhile, jumped in front 8-0 heading into the fourth. Senior
Kayla Kresley (Alburtis, Pa.) singled to start the fourth inning and came home to score on a base hit by senior
Erica Ragazzone (Philadelphia, Pa.).
The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but were unable to score to keep the game going.
Game Two - #8 Post 9, #4 Wilmington 1, F/6
Post knocked off defending CACC Champion Wilmington with an offensive onslaught in game two. Seniors
Jessica Grzywna (Philadelphia, Pa.) and
Kate Dawson (Newfields, N.H.) singled to open the second inning. Freshman
Skylar Devorin (Millville, Del.) hit an RBI base hit to start the scoring. Senior
Kristen Owens (Exton, Pa.) followed with a two-run double to left center. The Eagles led 4-0 after two.
Kresley drew a lead-off walk in the fifth. Ragazzone crushed a two-run home run to left field to put the Eagles in front 6-0. It marked her ninth home run of the year, tying Post's single-season record set in Megan Pappas in 2005. Freshman
Leyri Rivera (Dover, N.J.) legged out an infield single and later scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 7-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Wilmington scored its only run in fifth as Lexi Baughman smacked a pinch hit homer to left.
Devorin singled up the middle to start the sixth and advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Owens. With two outs, junior
Emily Schaffer (Hazlet, N.J.) launched a two-run shot to right center, giving Post a 9-1 lead. Sophomore
Leslie Denis (Swansea, Mass.) shut the Wildcats down in order in the sixth to clinch the victory. Denis allowed just one run on four hits.
Every Eagles batter reached base in the game and all but one recorded a hit.
Post will play the loser of the game between #2 Holy Family and #3 Dominican tomorrow at 11 a.m.
