Box Score West Haven, Conn. – Freshman outfielder
Niki Barbato took a pitch over the left field fence in the bottom of the 10th inning to win today's Northeast-10 Conference Championship Second Round game 3-2 versus Merrimack. The game was played on the campus of the University of New Haven, the host for the weekend.
After tying the game in the bottom of the seventh, both teams battled for the game-winning run in extra innings. Barbato stepped to the plate to lead of the 10th inning and drove a pitch beyond the left field fence to clinch the victory and move the Panthers on to the semifinal game tomorrow versus Southern New Hampshire at 1:00 pm.
The first four innings of the day went scoreless as both pitchers limited any hits to keep runners on base. However, the fifth inning opened with the Warriors looking to finally push a run across.
Senior infielder Ashley Perry kicked off the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third during the next at-bat as senior outfielder Jessica Fugazzotto singled to center. Looking to keep the momentum going, sophomore outfielder Brittany Razo scored Perry with a sacrifice fly to right field. Fugazzotto later scored with two outs on a single from senior infielder Kelsey Francher.
The Panthers cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman outfielder
Niki Barbato scored the run on a groundout from junior catcher
Mary O'Reilly. Barbato led off the inning by reaching first on a fielding error. Sandwiched in between was a single from sophomore infielder
Jordan Catalano, allowing Barbato to reach third.
Adelphi continued the rally into the seventh inning to tie the game and force extra innings. Freshman infielder
Danielle Cutuli scored the run on a sacrifice fly from Barbato with the bases loaded. Cutuli led the inning off with a single.
Cutuli, Catalano, freshman infielder
Christina Palmenteri, and junior infielder
Victoria Wink all notched two hits on the day while Barbato posted two RBI. Freshman
Lindsay Mapes picked up the win in the circle with 3.1 innings pitched and no hits with seven strikeouts.