CRESSON, Pa. - The La Roche University 2021 softball season ended Wednesday afternoon in the AMCC semifinals. The #7 seed Redhawks were swept by #3 seed Mt. Aloysius on the road in a best-of-three game series. The Mounties took game one 4-0 and game two 2-0.
Mt. Aloysius will now travel to #1 seed Penn St. Behrend this Saturday, May 15th for the AMCC Tournament Championship.
La Roche was predicted to finish seventh in the conference preseason coaches poll but finished as one of the final four teams in the conference tournament, won their first playoff game since 2016 and made the semifinals for the first time since 2015.
Game One - Mt. Aloysius 4, La Roche 0
Alexa Young pitched her AMCC high 13th complete game of the season in game one. In 6.0 innings pitched, Young had four strikeouts, three walks and gave up seven hits and two earned runs.
The Mounties scored three of their four runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, the Mounties managed to score off back-to-back hits (a single and a double) to go up 2-0. Then, Mt. Aloysius was able to score the runner from second on a throwing error. The next batter hit an RBI single and the Mounties would go up 4-0 and lead the rest of the game.
The Redhawks left eight runners on base, four of which were in scoring position. LRU's best chance to make things interesting came in the top of the seventh when they had the bases loaded with only one out. Unfortunately, La Roche would then line and ground into a fielders choice to end the game.
Freshman Kylee Greig went 2-for-3. Her two hits were a team-high and it was her third multi-hit game of the season.
Game Two - Mt. Aloysius 2, La Roche 0
La Roche struggled to put together offense and get runners in scoring position in game two. As a team, the Redhawks batted 3-for-22 (.136) while Mt. Aloysius was 9-for-27 (.333).
Mt. Aloysius two runs came in the bottom of the fourth of a two-run homer. The Mounties left eight runners on base.
Devan Smith hit a double in the top of the first but was tagged out trying to get to third.
The Redhawks best opportunity to score came in the top of the fourth. Kelly Denk and Ashtin Hoover started the inning with back-to-back singles. The next batter then hit into a double play but advanced Denk to third. With two outs, the next batter hit a fly out to center field and left Denk stranded. It was the only runner the Redhawks left on base.
Sophomore Lyndsi Urani got the start on the mound. In 4.0 innings pitched, Urani had two strike-outs, no walks and gave up seven hits and no earned runs. Alexa Young pitched the final two innings. She had a strikeout, no walks, no earned runs and gave up two hits.