SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University
softball team fended off elimination for a second time on Friday as
the Sea Gulls sent home Neumann College 8-0 in fifth innings in the
Salisbury, Maryland First-Round Tournament held at the SU Softball
Complex. The two teams faced each other on Thursday as the
seventh-seed Knights handed second-seed Salisbury a first day
loss.
Salisbury (36-5), ranked No. 11 in the nation, will move on to play
fifth-seed Christopher Newport University on Saturday, May 9, at
Noon. This will be the third straight elimination game for the
maroon and gold. CNU (36-8) swept a doubleheader at home back on
March 11. That was the last time SU lost during the regular-season
as the Sea Gulls won 30 straight games before this week's
first-round tournament.
The Sea Gulls had a balance attack on offense as they scored eight
runs on eight hits. The highlight came from junior shortstop
Kelly Waskewicz who jacked a three-run home run in
the six-run fourth inning for the visiting Sea Gulls. Senior
outfielder Meaghan O'Gara had a big day as well
with two hits and one RBI. O'Gara scored the game's first run in
the third inning, after she doubled off the left field fence, as
junior catcher Lauren Brenneman knocked her in on
a single. Senior second baseman Stacey Malarkey
had a RBI double in the third inning.
Junior first baseman Ali Ritter came through
with a clutch two-run single in the fourth inning to mercy the
Knights (31-12).
Sophomore pitcher Kelsey Mills (15-2) pitched her
second complete game on the day she held Neumann to no runs and
three hits. Mills struck out four batters and walked one in the
win. Mills struck out Neumann outfielder Deanna Christy looking for
the final out of the game.
Neumann senior pitcher Angela Sebasto (19-4) received the loss in
her final collegiate game of her career. Sebasto gave up eight runs
on eight hits, walked four and struck out two.
In other action on the second day of the Salisbury, Maryland
First-Round Tournament; top-seed Lynchburg College defeated
fifth-seed Christopher Newport 1-0 while third-seed Emory
University beat Neumann 6-0 in the afternoon games. The morning
games saw fourth-seed Bridgewater (Va.) College beat Lynchburg 2-1
followed by a 3-1 Sea Gull win over sixth-seed LaGrange College to
eliminate the Panthers.
The schedule for the third day features Lynchburg vs.
Bridgewater at 10 a.m. followed by the SU-CNU showdown. The winner
of the Lynchburg-Bridgewater will face undefeated Emory in the 2
p.m. game.
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