Clare Hofstedt, Washington College
St. John Fisher 4, Washington College 1
The most successful season in the history of Washington College Softball came to a close on Saturday afternoon as the Shorewomen fell to St. John Fisher, 4-1, in an elimination contest at Kostrinsky Field in the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament in the Ithaca Region. The Cardinals, the top seed in the region improve to 34-13, while the Shorewomen, the region's seven seed, cap the year at 27-19.
St. John Fisher struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning after the first two were retired. Kayla Goodberlet singled to left field to keep the inning alive and the next hitter Leanne Merchant drew a walk. The following batter with two runners on, Sarah Fordyce launched a three-run home run to right field to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead after one inning.
In the top of the third, the Shorewomen recorded three singles with one out to load the bases and senior right fielder Lindsey Glascock (Glenwood, MD/Glenelg) was plunked by a pitch and that allowed freshman left fielder Clare Hofstedt (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) to score from third to cut the St. John Fisher lead to 3-1. However, Cardinals' pitcher Sarah Stefanon struck out the next two hitters to end the frame and keep the damage to just a run.
St. John Fisher scored the final run of the game in the last of the fourth when with one away, Jessie Smyrski singled up the middle to plate Kate Disbrow from second base to give St. John Fisher a 4-1 lead. Stefanon retired the Shorewomen in order in the last three innings to close out the game and end Washington's season.
Stefanon was the story of the game as she went the entire way, striking out 12, walking none and giving up just three hits, all three coming in order in the third inning. She retired the final 12 batters of the game to improve to 23-6. At the plate, Fordyce was 2-for-3 with a game-best three RBI and Goodberlet was 2-for-4 with a run score.
For Washington, sophomore pitcher Kristin Cooper (Georgetown, DE/Sussex Central) took the loss and completes the year at 14-10. She went the entire way, giving up nine hits, four runs, all earned, walking two and fanning two. She finishes the year with 118 strikeouts, the most ever by a Washington College pitcher in a single-season. Her 226 strikeouts are a program record.
Washington went 1-2 in its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Shorewomen downed second-seeded Utica, 11-6, in nine innings on Thursday in the first round, before falling 5-4 to third seed Lebanon Valley in a winner's bracket game on Friday.