2023 NCAA Softball Championships Preview

5/31/2023 4:00:00 PM

The Rundown

The top-ranked Salisbury University softball team enters its 11th NCAA Championship appearance. The top-seeded Sea Gulls match up with the eighth-seeded Moravian Greyhounds in the opening game of the NCAA Championship on Thursday, June 1. The first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central/Noon Eastern from Bell Park at Taylor Field in Marshall, Texas.

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ETBU Information

NCAA Tournament Information

How We Got Here

Salisbury run-ruled Framingham State, 10-2, in five innings to begin the tournament before picking up 7-2 and 6-1 wins over Williams to sweep its way to the Super Regionals. Salisbury then picked up a pair of wins over Lebanon Valley with 3-1 and 4-0 victories in the Super Regionals to clinch its return trip to the NCAA Championships.

The 2023 Sea Gulls

#10 Lindsey Windsor | Three-time C2C Pitcher of the Year | Salisbury Regional Most Outstanding Player

#8 Sam Flowers | 2023 C2C Rookie of the Year

#5 Natalie Paoli | Two-time C2C Scholar-Athlete of the Year | All-Region

#18 Abby Mace | Two-time C2C Player of the Year | All-Region

#17 Maddison Lednum | All-Region

#6 Lauren Meyers | All-Region

#23 Carrie Jacoby | All-Region

#20 Emily Stockman | All-Region

After Lebanon Valley scored first in Game 1 in the fourth inning, Salisbury tied the game in the bottom half of the fourth. Natalie Paoli tied the game with an RBI double. Salisbury took the lead with RBI singles in the fifth and sixth innings by Emily Stockman and Lindsey Windsor to take a 3-1 win in the opening game.
A strong outing by Savannah Sheats sent the Sea Gulls to Texas with a 3-0 victory over LVC in Game 2. Paoli's two-run single in the third and Windsor's two-run home run in the fifth provided the insurance.
After falling behind 2-0 in the opening inning, Salisbury scored 10 unanswered runs to take a 10-2 five-inning victory over Framingham St. to begin the NCAA Tournament. Lindsey Windsor and Natalie Paoli both collected three hits, with a double, a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Carrie Jacoby and Maddison Lednum notched back-to-back homers in the first inning. Lednum and Jacoby also recorded two hits. Windsor settled in after the two-run first inning. She did not allow a hit after the first frame in four innings of work. She struck out five to earn the win.
In the first matchup against Williams in the regional semifinals, Abby Mace walked with the bases loaded to score Sam Flowers to open the scoring in the second inning. A batter later, Lindsey Windsor launched a grand slam over the left-field wall to push Salisbury ahead 5-0. After Williams scored two in the middle innings, Lauren Meyers got those two runs back for the Sea Gulls with a single up the middle that scored Windsor and Jillian Dawson to push the lead back to five, 7-2, and the eventual win.
Salisbury clinched the regional championship with a 6-1 win over Williams. Sadie Leonard ran into control issues in the fourth inning as she walked eight batters in the bottom half of the fourth. Windsor, Meghan Reed, Madi Lemon, Abby Mace and Carrie Jacoby all drew walks with the bases loaded to drive in a run to push Salisbury ahead, 5-1. Emily Stockman gave Salisbury insurance in the bottom half of the fifth after she tripled to left-center field then later scored on a wild pitch.
Salisbury had seven players named to the NFCA All-Region teams.
Senior outfielder Abby Mace, senior pitcher/outfielder Lindsey Windsor, senior first baseman Lauren Meyers, senior catcher Emily Stockman and sophomore designated player Carrie Jacoby landed on the All-Region First Team while senior infielders Maddison Lednum and Natalie Paoli landed on the All-Region Second Team.
Salisbury was one of three schools that placed seven players on the NFCA All-Region teams. Salisbury and Tufts tied for the most first-teamers in the nation
The Salisbury offense led the conference in runs scored (319), hits (430), doubles (74), triples (19), RBIs (280), stolen bases (109), batting average (.349), on-base percentage (.424) and slugging percentage (.534).
The pitching staff had the lowest ERA in conference with a 1.24 ERA as well as the lowest home runs allowed (8) and runs allowed (75).
Abby Mace led the conference in stolen bases (22), doubles (12), triples (4) and runs scored (47). She also sits second in the league with nine home runs and a .515 on-base percentage.
Carrie Jacoby leads the C2C in batting with a .451 average.
Savannah Sheats had the lowest ERA in league with a 0.99 ERA. Nicole Ortega is right behind with a 1.07 ERA followed by Lindsey Windsor at a 1.14 ERA.
Windsor leads the C2C in RBIs (48) and tied for the lead in saves (3). She is also second in the league in wins (15).
Salisbury ranks second in Division III in slugging percentage (.540).
The offense also ranks in the top-10 nationally in home runs (35).
The pitching staff has the seventh-lowest ERA in the country with a 1.27 ERA.
At the last individual stat update, Savannah Sheats sits 12th in the nation followed by Lindsey Windsor at a tie for 19th and Nicole Ortega at 30th.
Abby Mace ranks fifth in walks per game (0.79), 25th in slugging percentage (.807) and 35th in home runs (9).

Scouting Report (Bracket 1)

Moravian Greyhounds

CNU Captains

Berry Vikings

Moravian
CNU
Berry

Moravian is in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 19th time and reached the NCAA Championships for the fourth time.

The team is led by NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist and All-Region selection Sarah DeStefano. DeStefano has a 16-3 record with 84 strikeouts, four shutouts and a 1.88 ERA in 126.1 innings. At the plate, DeStefano has recorded 42 hits, 20 runs, 10 stolen bases, three doubles and 19 RBIs at the plate.

Fellow pitcher Madi Cunningham and catcher Marcie Silberman were also All-Region picks. Silberman has a .362 average to go along with 38 hits, 18 runs, seven doubles, a triple, six homers and 29 RBIs. In the circle, Cunningham has a 18-6 record with six shutouts, 93 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA.

A familiar foe for the Sea Gulls, Christopher Newport looks to defend its national championship in its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance and fourth trip to the NCAA Championships.

The CNU offense is led by C2C Player of the Year Brooke Greaver. Greaver leads the C2C in homers (13) and sits second in the nation in slugging percentage (.851). Graver also has 41 RBIs, 40 hits and seven doubles.

The pitching staff is led by Kate Alger and Jamie Martin. Alger has a 16-5 record with a 1.33 ERA while Martin has an 11-5 mark with a 1.94 ERA. Both pitchers have a 100-plus strikeouts with Alger collecting 177 strikeouts while Martin has 108 punch outs.

Berry enters the final site with a 41-5 record.

The team is led by sophomore Karlie White, who was named the Southern Athletic Association Player of the Year leads the team with a .464 average with 70 hits, 17 doubles, 43 RBIs and nine homers.

She is joined by Morgan Frye and Anna Jackson, who have hit 13 and nine home runs respectively.

In the circle, the team is led by Hannah Gore and Blair Hall. Gore has a 1.00 ERA with a 16-1 record and 121 strikeouts while Blair Hall has a 1.16 ERA with a 15-3 record and 105 strikeouts.

What's At Stake

If Salisbury advances out of bracket play, the team will play in the National Championship series at Marshall, Texas. The series is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 6 and conclude on Wednesday, June 7.

The Rundown

How We Got Here

The 2023 Sea Gulls

Scouting Report (Bracket 1)

What's At Stake

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