Release courtesy of Muhlenberg Athletic Communications
The Muhlenberg softball team went 1-1 in the elimination round of the NCAA Tournament, shutting out Cabrini, 6-0, before its run ended with a 10-1 loss to 17th-ranked Rowan.
The Mules finished their season with a record of 23-22 for their most wins since 2014. They won their first Centennial Conference championship since 2011 and picked up their first NCAA Tournament win since 2003.
That win came behind the two-hit pitching of senior Cora Bridgers and freshman Justine Bergara in the first game of the second day of the regional. Bridgers tossed the first five innings, allowing only one hit and striking out seven in picking up her 28th career win. She struck out the side in the first and faced only two batters over the minimum, getting out of her only real jam with a strikeout and a popout with runners on second and third in the fifth inning.
Bergara allowed only one batter to reach base in her two innings, finishing off Muhlenberg's first NCAA Tournament shutout since a 4-0 blanking of Mount Union in 1991.
Sophomore Gillian Zack delivered the keynote at the plate, slamming a three-run homer in the top of the first. Senior Sarah Karmazyn appeared to have grounded out to lead off the game, but the Cabrini pitcher was called for an illegal pitch. Karmazyn eventually worked out a walk and went to second on a bunt by senior Genna Cicchetti, who reached safely herself when the Cavaliers (23-12) left first base uncovered.
Zack (pictured above) followed by driving a pitch over the fence in left for her sixth home run of the season, and the first NCAA Tournament home run by a Mule since 2009.
Bridgers helped her own cause by hitting a one-out double in the second. One out later, a single by Karmazyn brought in freshman pinch-runner Jamie Carfagna, extending the lead to 4-0.
Muhlenberg took advantage of two Cabrini errors to tack on two insurance runs in the sixth. Bridgers had the lone hit of the inning, one of her three hits in the game. Sophomore Samantha Winegard drove in the first run with a ground ball, and Zack brought in the second with a sacrifice fly.
The 6-0 win represented the Mules' largest margin of victory ever in a postseason shutout. Their previous best was 5-0 against Franklin & Marshall in the 1989 MAC playoffs.
Freshman Kaya Mahy helped the shutout effort by diving to make a catch at second base in the bottom of the second and throwing to first for an inning-ending double play.
Muhlenberg threatened Rowan at the start of the second game but left two runners in scoring position in the first. The Profs (35-9), who lost to host Tufts earlier in the day, scored once in the second, twice in the third and once in the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead.
Sophomore Raya Kunes got one of the runs back when she hit her second home run of the season with two outs in the fourth.
The Mules got the potential tying run to the plate in the fifth following an error and a single by Zack but could not push any runs across. Rowan put the game out of reach with four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh.
Rowan will need to defeat Tufts twice on Sunday to win the regional.