Manchester, N.H. - In its first road playoff games since the 2024 NCAA East Super Regional, the Adelphi University softball team swept its first round matchup against Saint Anselm College on Tuesday afternoon, by the final scores of 8-4 and 6-4.

Game 1: Adelphi 8, Saint Anselm 4
The Panthers kept a similar tone to their matchup this past Thursday against the Hawks, by leveraging their high amount of run support to hold on for a win. 

Besides two walks in the opening pair of frames, the Brown and Gold weren't able to generate any offensive opportunities early. Julianna Sanzone changed that in the third, as her double to the right center gap scored the first two runs of the afternoon in Reeghan McCarthy and Courtney Wengryn. 

Back-to-back home runs in the home half put Saint A's back on top 3-2, as the former scored two. The Cats responded in the top of the fourth with a sensational triple from Courtney Murphy, later scoring on an error herself. That combination put Adelphi up two at the end of four. 

After another deep shot form the Hawks to put the score back within one, the visitors tallied three more in the sixth. Another error-riddled bunt scored Ellen Tarjan, with singles from Zee Zee Shreter and Sanzone putting the seventh and eighth runs on the scoreboard. 

Starting pitcher Lily Kenney kept herself composed through the roller coaster affair. After surrendering the lead, the Connecticut native sat down 11 of her next 12 to take the game into the seventh and final frame. 

There, the sophomore retired three more consecutively, putting a cap on the matinee. Kenney's final line read four earned runs and seven hits in the complete game victory, off 111 pitches. 

Game 2: Adelphi 6, Saint Anselm 4
Later action saw much of the same, with 10 combined runs in the first four innings.

Wengryn started the Cats off right, blasting a 2-2 pitch past the center field wall, putting the road team up a pair after three batters. Murphy's single to left field brought home freshman Maddy Moore in the second, with a fielder's choice from Shreter increasing the advantage to four.

Saint Anselm returned back to their power in the third, as a home run to left woke the crowd up, scoring the home team's first run. A single, double, and error tied the game in what felt like the blink of an eye.

Continuing the streak of every inning seeing a score, Sanzone capitalized on the speed of Shreter with her sacrifice fly in the fourth. Brianna Pearson tacked on a key insurance run with a single to right, scoring McCarthy. 

Starter Jenna Plue took the Brown and Gold through the first half of the second clash, only allowing two earned runs off five hits and an equal amount of strikeouts. 

After an infield single put runners on second and third base with two outs, Kenney entered the game in relief. On her first batter faced, she sat down Saint Anselm's Audrey Arsenault to end the inning. 

Over her next two frames, Kenney provided security on the small lead, striking out three of her seven players faced, sending the game to its final three outs. 

A double and a walk aided by another fielder's choice saw another second and third situation with two outs. Following three straight foul balls, Caitlyn Duquette popped up to third base, with Tarjan anticipating the catch and clinching Adelphi's spot in championship weekend. 

Head Coach Katie Apostolopoulos and the Panthers will now square off against sixth-seeded Assumption University on Thursday, May 1. Pace University will host from Pleasantville, N.Y., with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.. Stay tuned to AUPanthers.com or @AdelphiSB on Instagram and X for more updates throughout the tournament.