Information Provided By Le Moyne Sports Information


Syracuse, N.Y. - Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Jennifer Farrelly (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and a home run and struck out five batters in the pitcher's circle to lead the 12th-ranked Le Moyne College softball team to a 7-1 win over Caldwell College in the NCAA East 1 Region finals on Sunday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins now advance to next weekend's Super Regionals to face Georgian Court, who defeated New Haven in the East 2 Region finals by a score of 5-3. Site and time are still to be determined.

After two scoreless innings to open the game, the Dolphins pushed across four runs in the third inning to break the game open. Freshman designated player Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) doubled down the left field line with one out and came in to score on a single up the middle by junior center fielder Danielle VanGorder (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal). After a fielding error allowed junior second baseman Kelly Schweikert (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) to reach base and a wild pitch moved VanGorder and Schweikert up a base, freshman shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) singled to right field to plate VanGorder, while Schweikert also scored on a fielding error by the right fielder. Consecutive singles by Farrelly and junior left fielder Bailey Phillips (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Arcadia) loaded the bases with still only one out. Senior third baseman Caitlin O'Neill (Pittsford, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy), who had three hits in the game, followed with a single through the left side to drive in Shea with the inning's final run.

Caldwell got one run back in the fourth inning on a solo home to right center by shortstop Danielle Genovese. The homer was the first hit of the contest for the Cougars after Farrelly retired the first 10 batters she faced.

Farrelly helped her own cause in the fifth inning by drilling her team high-tying ninth home run of the season over the fence in left field. The Dolphins, who also defeated Caldwell, 2-1, on Saturday, added two runs in the sixth inning to secure the victory. O'Neill opened the frame with a double up the middle and was replaced at second base by pinch-runner Kate Waltman (Alplaus, N.Y./Niskayuna). Sophomore catcher Kim Baker (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley) then reached base on a throwing error to allow Waltman to move to third. After Baker moved to second base on defensive indifference, freshman first baseman Leah Ford (Pulaski, N.Y./Pulaski) singled to center field to knock in Waltman and Baker.

Farrelly worked around a two-out single and a hit batsman to induce a pop up to close out the contest. Farrelly, who picked up her 18th victory of the season, allowed just three hits in facing only three batters over the minimum.

Le Moyne (43-10), which has won 12 consecutive games and 20 of its last 21, will be playing Georgian Court for the first time in the program's history.