Rams Bounce Back in NCAA's against Muhlenberg
Rams Bounce Back in NCAA's against Muhlenberg
#6 Farmingdale State - 4, #7 Muhlenberg - 1
Mahwah, N.J. - The Farmingdale State College softball team defeated Muhlenberg (19-18) today, in their second game of the NCAA Division III Regionals. The Rams took a 4-1 victory to stay alive in the bracket of the double-elimination tournament. The win improves Farmingdale to 33-5 overall, a new school record for wins, and marks the first NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Sophomore pitcher Heather Buckshaw (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) got the win for the Rams going five innings, striking out three and allowing five hits to improve to 16-3 on the year.
Muhlenberg got on the board with a run in the top of the second on
a double to center, a sac bunt and a sacrifice fly. But the Rams
got one back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from
junior designated hitter Kim Ferraiolo (Staten Island,
N.Y./Tottenville). Sophomore shortstop Nicole Farber (Oakdale,
N.Y./Connetquot) led off with a single through the right side,
before sophomore catcher Arielle Morelli (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot)
bunted her over to second. Senior right fielder Kristina Cirillo
(Brentwood, N.Y./Brentwood) struck out but reached first on a
passed ball, which moved Farber over to third. Ferraiolo's single
scored Farber for the game tying run, 1-1.
Farmingdale tacked on another run in the third after a single through the right side by Cirillo, scoring freshman first baseman Aubrey Walker (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) for the 2-1 lead.
Muhlenberg's best offensive chance came in the top of the fifth, when they had runners on first and third with two outs, but a diving catch in right field by Cirillo saved a run and ended the inning.
The Rams added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth and freshman pitcher Hope Zino (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) came in to finish on the mound for Buckshaw. Zino faced eight batters in the final two innings, striking out two in the sixth and a game-ending strikeout in the seventh to pick up her second save of the season.
Farmingdale will now play Saturday at 10:00 a.m. against the loser of the Messiah/Moravian game. The winner of that game plays Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
GO RAMS!!
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