JWU Softball's Postseason Run Ends with 4-3 Loss to SUNY Cortland in NCAA Tournament

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Johnson & Wales University softball team made a pair of comebacks against SUNY Cortland on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament, but couldn't come up with one more to extend its season. The Wildcats lost a 4-3 decision to the Red Dragons.

Johnson & Wales ends the season with a 34-10 record. The 34 wins are the most in school history.

Down 2-0 after the Red Dragons scored in the second and fourth innings, Johnson & Wales used back-to-back dingers to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Diana Amendolara (Newtown, Pa.) hit a solo shot with two outs then Tiffani Semanchik (Flemington, NJ) followed with the first home run of her collegiate career.

After Cortland pulled ahead in the top of the fifth, JWU had the answer in the bottom of the inning. Alex Fantasia (Framingham, Mass.) picked up her team-leading second hit of the day when she ripped a leadoff double. She moved up on a sacrifice bunt then crossed the plate on a single by Kristin Frost (Pearl City, Hawaii).

Another home run gave the Red Dragons the lead in the top of the sixth. Skyler Hoyt hit a solo shot off JWU reliever Emily Gundrum (Bethlehem, Pa.) for the eventual winning run.

The Wildcats had an opportunity to score the tying run in the bottom of the seventh, but pinch runner Taylor Fay – who came in for Katie Rufo (Natick, Mass.) after she hit a leadoff single – was stranded at third.

Head coach Kim Camara-Harvey has stockpiled a lot of talent for a run at championship number four, but she'll have to replace two big bats in the lineup. Senior Emily Gorecki (Bremerton, Wash.), the JWU career leader in every offensive category, is graduating as is Amendolara, who ranks in the top 10 for batting average, RBIs and home runs.

FIRST NCAA CONTEST: MESSIAH 5, JWU 2
Cortland, N.Y. - The Johnson & Wales University softball team got out to a quick start on Friday against 12th-ranked Messiah, but couldn't hold off the Falcons. The Wildcats lost 5-2 in the opening game of the NCAA Regional, hosted by SUNY Cortland. 

With the loss, JWU falls to 34-9. The Wildcats will take on the host Red Dragons at 1:30 pm on Saturday in an elimination game. 

Meghan Gavin (Wallingford, Conn.) got the offense started in the first inning with a one-out double. GNAC Rookie of the Year Kristin Frost (Pearl City, Hawaii) followed with a two-run home run. 

Messiah got a run in the third and tied the game with an inside the park home run in the fourth. The Falcons scored the go-ahead runs on a fielder's choice, error and base hit in the sixth. 

Johnson & Wales had its chances as it pounded out 11 hits but left eight runners on base. Frost led the way with a 3-for-4 performance while Gavin and Ally Mishol (Longmeadow, Mass.) each had a pair of hits.