Garden City, N.Y. -- In what was a pitcher's duel from the start, freshman Nicoletta Cuccio's two-out RBI single in the fifth inning was all that Lindsay Mapes needed to lead the Adelphi University softball team past the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen in game 1 of the NCAA Division II East Super Regional on Janet L. Ficke Field on Wednesday, 1-0. 

Mapes hurled a one-hit shutout in the circle, allowing just one walk as she pitched to contact throughout the course of the game and won the battle against Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Sarah Lavallee. Cuccio went 2-2 at the plate with a walk and the RBI that won the game for Adelphi (33-20), while Christina Palmenteri scored the game's only run and stole two bases. 

Mapes faced her only threat of the day in the opening inning, as she misplayed a grounder back to her off the bat of Erin Garczynski and allowed a single to Katie Caruso for two SNHU (29-14) baserunners. After both advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, however, she got her opposite number of Lavallee to pop up to Lauren Sandelier at second base to end the inning. Adelphi too had a chance to score in the opening frame, as Cuccio singled to right with one out and moved to second on a Brenna Martini groundout. However, after Nicole Camera singled to the first baseman, Cuccio tested her speed against the defense but was thrown out at the plate trying to score.

Adelphi's next threat came in the third, as Palmenteri singled to lead off and stole second before Cuccio walked to put two on with one out. However, Lavallee responded by ringing up both Martini and Camera looking to end the inning and keep the game deadlocked. Meanwhile, Mapes continued to deal in the circle for the Brown and Gold, as she allowed just one runner on base after the first inning. 

Adelphi broke through in the fifth, as Fallon McCarthy reached to lead off but was replaced on the bases by a fielder's choice off Palmenteri's bat. From there, the junior stole her second base of the day, and advanced to third on a groundout by Krista King. That set the stage for Cuccio to deliver, as she stroked a two-out single to right center to plate Palmenteri and make it a 1-0 game. 

Duly handed the lead, Mapes retired the side in order in the sixth to bring the Panthers back to the plate, and although Megan Lewis was stranded after a one-out double with the Panthers looking for insurance, Mapes returned to the circle and again posted a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to end the game.

The two teams return to Janet L. Ficke Field on Thursday, with a trip to the College World Series in Denver on the line. Game two in the series will begin at 2 pm, and should the Penmen win to force a winner-take-all game three, the final game will begin at approximately 4:30 pm.

NOTES
- Adelphi and Southern New Hampshire are meeting in their second consecutive Super Regional. Last season, the Panthers advanced to the College World Series by winning the series 2-0, with a 5-3 win in 15 innings in game one, before winning 4-2 in game two.

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About Adelphi Athletics:
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009 and in the past six seasons has collected 18 regular season conference titles, 22 tournament championships, 29 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 President's Cup twice (2013 and 2014), while winning five NCAA Division II National Championships.

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