Saint Vincent collects first-ever PAC softball title

Saint Vincent collects first-ever PAC softball title

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NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (pacathletics.org) – Third-seeded Saint Vincent College won its first-ever Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Softball Championship Tournament title Saturday.

Saint Vincent (28-13) wrapped up its run to the conference title by winning three-straight one-run games during the Championship’s final day, including a 1-0 walk-off win over second-seeded Bethany College in the tournament’s “if necessary” game.

The four-team, double-elimination championship tournament was hosted by top-seeded Westminster College.

The Bearcats, led by 10th-year head coach Nicole Hinerman-Karr, are the second team in three seasons (2014, W&J) to survive a pair of Saturday elimination games en route to securing the league championship. The Bearcats are the sixth number three seed to win the league title since 2002.

Following the conclusion of Saturday’s championship trophy presentation, Saint Vincent junior starter Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood) was recognized as the championship tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. She earned the victory in Saturday’s “if necessary” game, marking her fourth win during the two-day championship tournament.

With its championship tournament title, Saint Vincent secured the league's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship, with regional preliminary round play scheduled to begin Thursday-Friday, May 12-13. Team and site selections for the Division III Softball Championship will be announced at 1 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, May 9. The Division III Softball Selection Show is scheduled to air on ncaa.com.
 
2016 PAC Softball All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player: Saint Vincent junior Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood)
Pos. Name Class School Hometown / High School
OF Kayla Kelly Sr. Bethany College Pasadena, Md. / Institute of Notre Dame
1B Deanna Mihalco Sr. Bethany College Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown
P Cassie Weiss So. Bethany College Washington, Pa. / McGuffey
P Samantha Emert Jr. Saint Vincent College Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood
2B Kelly Flaherty Fr. Saint Vincent College Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear
OF Sarah Swettlen Sr. Saint Vincent College Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield
C Breanne Wallace Jr. Saint Vincent College Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley
OF Dallis Knotts So. Thomas More College Florence, Ky. / Boone County
P Mamee Salzer Sr. Thomas More College Erlanger, Ky. / St. Henry
SS Kailey Liverman Fr. Westminster College Purcellville, Va. / Loudoun Valley
 
Saturday, May 7 • Game G
New Wilmington, Pa.
(3) Saint Vincent vs. (4) Bethany
Saint Vincent 1, Bethany 0 Box score
Senior right fielder Sarah Swettlen (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield Area) picked an opportune time to deliver her first RBI of the championship tournament, lining a two-out single to left in the bottom of the seventh that gave Saint Vincent a 1-0 win over Bethany and the program’s first-ever PAC title.

The hit was Swettlen’s first of the game and sixth in the Bearcats’ five-game run to the league championship (6-for-16).

Freshman second baseman Kelly Flaherty (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear) drilled a two-out double down the right field line before and advanced to third on a pinch-hit single from junior Breanne Wallace (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) before scoring the game-winning run on Swettlen’s single.

Junior starter Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood) was terrific in her second-straight elimination game shutout, allowing six hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.

Bethany sophomore Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa. / McGuffey) allowed one run (earned) on five hits and struck out three in the complete-game loss.

Junior third baseman Sarah Coss (Bowie, Md. / Bishop McNamara) finished 2-for-3 for the Bison.
 
Saturday, May 7 • Game F
New Wilmington, Pa.
(3) Saint Vincent vs. (4) Bethany
Saint Vincent 1, Bethany 0 Box score
Junior pinch hitter Breanne Wallace (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) punched a one-out sacrifice fly to right that scored freshman pinch runner Nicole Adisey (Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic) in the bottom of the seventh to help Saint Vincent earn a 1-0 victory in its second elimination game win of the day.

Sophomore designated player Emily Duerr (Pittsburgh, Pa./ Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) got things going in the seventh with a single to left before being lifted for Adisey. A sacrifice bunt by freshman catcher Kelsey Hunter (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Vincentian Academy) moved Adisey to second and a single to left from junior starter Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood) would push Adisey to third and provide Wallace with the game-winning opportunity.

Emert allowed six hits, walked four and struck out three in the shutout. 

Freshman second baseman Kelly Flaherty (Pittsburgh, Pa/ Brashear) went 2-for-2 in the win.

Bethany sophomore starter Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa. / McGuffey) allowed one run (1 earned) on five hits while striking out four and walking one in the complete-game loss.

Sophomore second baseman Aubrey Baehr (Evans City, Pa. / Seneca Valley) and senior right fielder T.J. Solomon (Beltsville, Md. / Elizabeth Seton) each had a pair of hits in the loss.
 
Saturday, May 7 • Game E
New Wilmington, Pa.
(2) Thomas More vs. (3) Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent 4, Thomas More 3 Box score
Saint Vincent junior Breanne Wallace (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) delivered a pinch-hit, three-run double with two outs in the top of the fourth to give the Bearcats a 3-0 lead over Thomas More in Saturday’s first elimination game.

Freshman left fielder Mackenzie Gostomski’s (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny) two-out, run-scoring single in the fifth would prove the be game winner, but the defending league champion Saints would not go down quietly.

Sophomore second baseman Sammy Sagers (Cincinnati, Ohio / Oak Hills) countered with a two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth to bring the Saints to within three, 4-1, before sophomore left fielder Dallis Knotts (Florence, Ky. / Boone County) stroked a two-out, two-run single to close the margin to one, 4-3.

Thomas More freshman Alix DeDreu (Rising Sun, Ind. / Rising Sun) singled down the right field line with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Saint Vincent junior Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood) induced her 15th ground ball out of the game to preserve the win.

Emert allowed seven hits and a pair of runs (2 earned) in the complete-game victory.

Senior right fielder Sarah Swettlen (Greensburg, Pa. / Hemfield Area) and sophomore first baseman Shelby Noel (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) each had a pair of base hits in the win.

Thomas More senior starter Mamee Salzer (Erlanger, Ky. / St. Henry) allowed four runs (4 earned) on 10 hits in 5.0 innings.

DeDreu finished 3-for-4 with a double while Sagers went 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored.
 
Friday, May 6 • Game D
New Wilmington, Pa.
(3) Saint Vincent vs. (4) Bethany
Bethany 5, Saint Vincent 1 (9 inn.) Box score
After watching third-seeded Saint Vincent tie the game at 1-1 on a RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the eighth, fourth-seeded Bethany responded with four runs on three hits in the top of the ninth to secure its spot in Saturday’s title round.

Freshman left fielder Emily Folk (Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown) scored the eventual game-winning run after singling and later scoring on a Saint Vincent fielding error. Senior center fielder Kayla Kelly’s (Pasadena, Md. / Institute of Notre Dame) RBI single drove in senior right fielder T.J. Solomon (Beltsville, Md. / Elizabeth Seton) to push the Bethany lead to two, 3-1, before senior first baseman Deanna Mihalco (Patterson, N.Y. / Brewster) drilled a two-out, two-run double to close out the scoring.

Kelly finished 2-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored, while Mihalco finished 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and three walks.

Bethany sophomore starter Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa. / McGuffey) allowed one run (earned) on seven hits in the complete-game win. Weiss struck out eight and did not allow a walk.

Saint Vincent junior starter Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood) allowed five runs (1 earned) on eight hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in the loss.

Sophomore designated player Emily Duerr (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Our Lady of Sacred Heart) finished 3-for-4 at the plate, while sophomore first baseman Shelby Noel (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) went 1-for-4 with a RBI.
 
Friday, May 6 • Game C
New Wilmington, Pa.
(2) Thomas More at (1) Westminster
Thomas More 5, Westminster 0 Box score
Second-seeded Thomas More plated four runs in the top of the seventh inning of Friday’s 5-0 elimination game win over top-seeded Westminster.

A one out, two-run home run from sophomore left fielder Dallis Knotts (Florence, Ky. / Boone County) keyed the four-run frame. Knotts gave Thomas More a 1-0 lead with her RBI single in the second.

Senior starter Mamee Salzer (Erlanger, Ky. / St. Henry) allowed six hits with a pair of strikeouts and a walk in the complete-game win.

Westminster senior starter Amber Forrest (Clear Spring, Md. / Clear Spring) was dealt the loss, allowing five runs (5 earned) on nine hits in 6.2 innings. Forrest struck out eight and issued just one walk.

Westminster senior designated player Alexis Sheffer (Seneca, Pa. / Cranberry) finished 2-for-3 with a double while sophomore first baseman Jazmyn Rohrer (Purcellville, Va. / Woodgrove) went 2-for-3.
 
Friday, May 6 • Game B
New Wilmington, Pa.
(4) Bethany at (1) Westminster
Bethany 2, Westminster 1 Box score
Bethany senior right fielder T.J. Solomon (Beltsville, Md. / Elizabeth Seton) stroked a two out, RBI double in the top of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 deadlock with top-seeded Westminster and help the fourth-seeded Bison secure the 2-1 opening-round victory.

Sophomore Cassie Weiss (Washington, PaMcGuffey) allowed one run (earned) on seven hits while finishing with six strikeouts and a pair of walks in the complete-game win.

Senior catcher Marissa Bosley (New Martinsville, W.Va. / Magnolia) went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI for the Bison. Senior first baseman Deanna Mihalco (Patterson, N.Y. / Brewster) drew four walks and scored once. 

Westminster freshman shortstop Kailey Liverman (Purcellville, Va. / Loudoun Valley) evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth after leading off the frame with a line drive home run to left field. She went 1-for-2 with a walk in the loss.

Sophomore Jazmyn Rohrer (Purcellville, Va. / Woodgrove) suffered the loss for the Titans, allowing two runs (2 earned) on four hits in 6.0 innings. Rohrer struck out 11 while walking just three.
 
Friday, May 6 • Game A
New Wilmington, Pa.
(3) Saint Vincent vs. (2) Thomas More
Saint Vincent 1, Thomas More 0 Box score
Saint Vincent junior starter Samantha Emert (Rockwood, Pa. / Rockwood) tossed a four-hit shutout in Friday’s 1-0 win over second-seeded Thomas More. Emert struck out five and walked a pair in the win, helping the third-seeded Bearcats continue on in the winner’s bracket.

The lone run scored in Friday’s opener came with one out in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of sophomore shortstop Courtney Patterson (McKeesport, Pa. / McKeesport), which scored freshman left fielder Mackenzie Gostomski (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny).

Senior right fielder Sarah Swettlen (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield Area) went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Bearcats.

Thomas More senior starter Mamee Salzer (Erlanger, Ky. / St. Henry) allowed one run (unearned) on seven hits in the complete-game loss. She struck out three while issuing three walks.