Garden City, N.Y. - Anchored by a sixth-inning two-out rally, the top-seeded Adelphi University softball team prevailed in its NE10 Championship semifinal against No. 8 seed Southern Connecticut State University, 3-1, on Friday afternoon at Janet L. Ficke Field.

With the win, the Panthers (31-18) will have the opportunity to defend their NE10 Tournament title for a second-consecutive year.

Southern Connecticut (19-24) -- which upset No. 4 seed Southern New Hampshire University in a 13-inning marathon twenty-four hours earlier -- had the 'Cats on the brink, after NE10 Player of the Year Jessica Perucki's fourth-inning solo homer got the Owls out to the initial lead.

With just six outs to spare, Faith Camilleri's lead-off single in the sixth, followed by a pair of walks from Jaden Farhat and freshman Kaitlyn Klepper loaded the bases.

As Kendall Winn stepped in for a crucial pinch-hit appearance, the senior dropped a short pop-up just behind the left side of the infield, tying the game at 1-apiece. Zee Zee Shreter then hammered a 1-0 pitch up the middle, scoring both Farhat and Klepper to give the 'Cats a two-run advantage. 

Senior pitcher and reigning NE10 Championship Most Valuable Player Lindsey Hibbs came back to the circle to retire the side, with Farhat firing the two-out grounder to Camilleri for the final out that has Adelphi making another championship bid on Saturday. The Ontario native finished with a final line of one earned run on four hits, along with four strikeouts, for her 19th victory of the season.

Head Coach Carla Campagna and the Panthers will now look ahead to tomorrow's NE10 Championship final against either No. 2 seed Assumption University or No. 6 seed Saint Anselm College at Janet L. Ficke Field at 12 noon.