SUNY New Paltz Softball Falls to MIT 4-1 in NCAA Regional Opener
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
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2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | X | 4 | 6 | 0 |
New Paltz Sports Information Department
Glassboro, NJ — The State University of New York at New Paltz entered its first NCAA Regional Thursday on the campus of Rowan University and took on No. 2 seeded MIT in Game 2 of the afternoon.
The Hawks (35-7 overall) gave up two runs early, but starter Lindsay Roman buckled in to keep the game close with SUNY New Paltz battling back to get within one in the fifth. However, insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning sealed the game as the Engineers took the win, 4-1.
Roman earned her 24th start of the season despite battling an illness the day before. She gutted through and after allowing two runs in the first, got out of the jam with three straight outs in the first to leave a runner stranded in scoring position.
Roman walked a batter with no outs on a full count after allowing a leadoff single to start the game. The Engineers ripped a double, which tailed toward the left side that got underneath Kelsey O'Brien in the outfield, scoring both runners. Coach Krysti Maronski came out to speak with Roman and the infield and the senior anchored in to earn a flyout, lineout and a strikeout looking to limit the damage.
The Hawks offense struggled getting the key hit with runners on against MIT starter Caroline Langmeyer, as they left nine runners stranded with eight hits on the day. The most productive offensive inning for SUNY New Paltz came in the fifth inning when it finally broke a tally on the scoreboard. Lauren Serrao got the inning started, as she beat out a throw at first on a slow chopper down the first base line. Jaycee Filancia kept the inning alive two batters later on a two-out liner through the middle before Jillian Shelbourne came through with an RBI base hit to shallow center to bring home Serrao from second, cutting the score to 2-1.
The Hawks couldn't pile onto the damage, however, with MIT earning the next out on a fielder's choice with the Engineers answering in the bottom half. Roman nearly got out of the inning, throwing a good-looking pitch that just missed the plate which would have earned the final out of the inning and stranded two runners. But, on the next pitch the Engineers delivered a two-RBI single through the left side. Serrao made a great effort to make a play, but the ball went just underneath allowing MIT to take a 4-1 lead.
Sydney Waldon came into pitch the sixth for SUNY New Paltz. The Maplewood, NJ native allowed a walk and a base hit, but kept the difference at three getting the final out on a pop-up.
The Hawks couldn't manage a rally in the seventh. Shelbourne took a hard fought 3-2 walk to extend the inning but a strikeout ended the threat.
Roman suffered just her sixth loss of the season, dropping her record to 17-6. In five innings pitched she allowed just five hits, four earned runs and two walks with three strikeouts.
Shelbourne was the catalyst offensively, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Filancia and Bianchini followed, both going 2-for-4, while Serrao added a hit and a run scored.
The loss dropped SUNY New Paltz to the loser's bracket on day two of the Rowan Regional Friday, facing fourth seed Centennial in an elimination game at 1:30 p.m. on Rowan Softball Field. The winner will play the loser of the early matchup of MIT and hosting No. 15 nationally ranked Rowan at 4 p.m.
