Highlights
Denver, Colo. -- A pair of three-run blasts to left field off the bats of
Megan Lewis and
Nicole Camera helped power the Adelphi University softball team to a 10-4 victory over the Golden Lions of the University of Charleston (W. Va.) in their opening game of the NCAA Division II Championship at the Regency Sports Complex at MSU Denver.
Lewis got Adelphi (35-20) started in the game with a three-run shot to left in the first inning which put Adelphi up 3-0. With the Panthers trailing 4-3 in the top of the fifth, Lewis and Camera combined to put the Brown and Gold back on top, as the two stroked consecutive RBI singles to put the Panthers ahead 5-4. From there, the Panthers broke the game open in the sixth, as they plated five runs which ended with Camera's blast over the left field fence.
"I was really impressed with the way our team came out today," Head Coach
Bree Nasti said post-game. "They didn't seem nervous or intimidated or tentative and that is when we play our best ball. We came out and competed and gave ourselves a lot of opportunities to do a lot of great things."
"This time of year, it's about being loose and playing your best ball. Focus is important. It's an advantage to have a strong 1-9 in the lineup. When you have a lot of threats, it's tough to make decisions and strategize [for the opponent.] I think everyone got on base at some point or another today."
Outside of Lewis and Camera's 2-4 days with four RBIs and a run scored,
Krista King and
Christina Palmenteri each had three hits and scored two runs, while
Nicoletta Cuccio went 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Lindsay Mapes pitched all seven innings on a rainy, cold night in Denver for the Brown and Gold as she allowed four runs on six hits while working around several jams over the course of the evening.
Adelphi got out of the gates quickly in the first, as
Krista King led off with a single to left and
Brenna Martini worked a four-pitch walk with one out. After Camera flied out, Lewis delivered the two out RBIs as she drove a no-doubter over the left field fence for her fifth home run of the season. In the bottom of the frame, however, the Golden Lions got two back off of an erratic Mapes as a walk, a hit batter, a wild pitch and two singles led to the two-spot. From there, Mapes got a grounder to Martini at third to strand two runners in scoring position to keep the lead at one run.
Both teams were scoreless over the two and a half innings as they combined to strand four baserunners, before the Golden Lions took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Alayna Carlson homered to straightaway center leading off to tie the game at 3-3, before a single and two walks loaded the bases for Charleston, sandwiched around two outs. After a dropped foul ball prolonged the inning, Bethany Williams was hit by a pitch for the go-ahead RBI to make it a 4-3 game; however, Mapes kept the game there as she got her old travel ball teammate Alyssa Stanley to ground out to second to end the inning.
The Panthers didn't trail for long, as Palmenteri was hit by a pitch to kick off the fifth, before King singled to follow up and Martini walked with one out to fill the bases. From there, Camera rocketed a line drive right at the Charleston first baseman, which went off her glove for a single and led to the tying run scoring. Up next, Lewis continued her hot streak in the game, as she rifled the seventh pitch of the at bat back up the middle to score King and put Adelphi back on top, 5-4.
Given the lead, Mapes retired the side in order in her easiest inning of the night, allowing the Brown and Gold bats to get back to work -- and that they did. Palmenteri was in the middle of things again, legging out an infield single and stealing second with one out as Adelphi looked for insurance. From there, King singled to second to put runners at the corners, and Palmenteri later came around to score on a wild pitch to make it 6-4. King then scored on an RBI triple from Cuccio which led to a Charleston pitching change, as Martini then walked ahead of Camera's blast that capped the inning.
"Our main philosophy when we are at bat is to pass it on and try to get on base, work the pitcher and have long at bats,"" Camera added. "We were here last year, so we know what it's like and try to pass it on to the younger ones [freshmen
Lauren Sandelier and Cuccio]."
Mapes worked around a bunt single, an error and a walk to keep the Golden Lions off the board in the sixth, and again got around two baserunners in the seventh to end the game. In total, she stranded 13 Golden Lions on base.
With the win, the Panthers advance into the winner's bracket to face North Alabama, who run-ruled Southern Arkansas 9-0 earlier on Tuesday. The Lions checked in at No. 3 in the national rankings through games on May 1. The game will be played at 4:30 pm ET (2:30 pm MT) on Wednesday.
NOTES
- The North Alabama Lions post a 56-6 record on the season and boast NFCA First Team All-American Brooklynn Clark.
- Adelphi tallied 11 hits and seven walks as a team in Tuesday's win.
- Lewis posted a new season-high in RBIs with four, while Camera tied a career and season-high.
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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