MARIETTA, Ohio — It took extra innings, but top seeded Rowan University was able to rally for a single run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Profs to a first round victory in the NCAA Softball Regional. On Thursday (May 18), Rowan defeated No. 4 seed Penn State Berks, 1-0, to move to the winner's portion of the bracket.
Rowan's Rylee Lutz and Penn State Berks' Briana Smith were locked in a classic pitcher's duel for most of the game. Lutz (22-4) retired the side in order in the first and third innings while issuing only one walk in the second and fourth innings. Both of those runners were stranded and the game remained scoreless.
"I thought Rylee pitched a really good game," said Rowan Head Coach Kim Wilson. "She's been our #1 all season. She's been steady, even when we're not putting a lot of runs on the board. She does a great job of maintaining and letting our defense work behind her. Our defense did a really nice job and made the plays that we needed to make."
Smith (15-7) was perfect through the first three innings before giving up a single to Liz McCaffery in the fourth. That runner was also stranded to keep the score at 0-0.
"Bri pitched an absolutely awesome game, which is not unusual," said Penn State Berks Head Coach Donna Ference. "We actually had more runners on than they did. Of course, I'm disappointed because we wanted to win this game, but we played great and we're certainly ready to play the next game.
The Nittany Lions had an opportunity in the fifth to generate some runs. Naomi Fay and Hayden Perrone both reached base on bunts singles to give Penn State Berks two baserunners with only one out. After Savannah Wilson popped out, Arizona Shreck was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lutz got Veronica Maryanski to then ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Rowan got singles in the fifth and seventh innings but could not generate any offense and the game would go into extra innings.
The Nittany Lions led the eighth inning with a single from Shreck, but Lutz was able retire the next three batters to get out of trouble. Devyn DiPasquale had a solid one-out single in the bottom half of the inning and came around to score when Payton MacNair doubled to right center field, giving Rowan the walk-off win.
"It was nice to see that ball drop in the outfield and get the walk-off win," said Coach Wilson. "We play in really good conference and we were knocked out of the tournament on the final play of a game. It was nice to do that to somebody else."
Rowan will next play in the winner's portion of the bracket and will battle Pfeiffer University Friday (May 19) at 11:00 a.m. The Falcons defeated Marietta College 13-0 in five innings to cause this matchup.
Penn State Berks will battle the Pioneers in the elimination with first pitch scheduled at 1:30 p.m.
