May 2, 2008

Bridgeport Box Score|New Haven Box Score

Brookhaven, N.Y. - Adelphi University rallied from a first game deficit to top Bridgeport, 6-5, then held off a late rally by New Haven, 5-4, to advance in the ECC Championships. The Panthers improve to 40-18 and take on C.W. Post in Saturday's final at 12:00 noon.

Game 8: (2) Adelphi 6, (5) Bridgeport 5

After three scoreless innings, Adelphi and Bridgeport combined for 11 over the final four with Adelphi holding on for a wild, 6-5 come-from-behind win to advance to meet New Haven in the finals of the loser's bracket. Trailing 5-3 entering the final frame, the Panthers (39-18) responded with a three-run rally to post a 6-5 victory and eliminate the upstart fifth seeded Purple Knights (24-24).

Katie Brophy led Adelphi with a 3-for-3 outing knocking in one, while Deidre White, who took the win on the mound pitching the final two innings, added two hits and knocked in one and Dely Francisco added two hits.

DiGeorge led Bridgeport with two RBI, while Larson added two hits and knocked in one.

Game 9: (2) Adelphi 5, (3) New Haven 4

UNH rallied from a four-run deficit, but second-seeded Adelphi (40-18) got back-to-back doubles in the top of the sixth inning to eliminate the Chargers from the East Coast Conference Softball Championships, 5-4 on Friday afternoon.

UNH (25-19), the third seed playing as the home team in this game, found itself down 4-0 after Adelphi got three runs in its first two at-bats and added a tally in the top of the fourth.

But the Chargers, who lost 6-2 at the hands of 10th-ranked and top-seeded C.W. Post in the day's first game, refused to quit. They put up four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, benefitting from a pair of errors at third base, three singles and a walk.

With one out, Samantha Minervini started the rally when she reached thanks to an error at third base. After a fly out, Meghan Walter walked and Breanne Gleason singled up the middle to load the bases. Nicole Downs followed with a run-scoring single to center, and Jessica Medina drove in another run with a grounder to third base that was mishandled. Jordanna Borska singled to center to plate two more runs and tie the contest.

But with one out in the sixth, Julie Schaper and Dely Francisco doubled in succession to make it a 5-4 contest.

UNH would put two on in the sixth inning, getting back-to-back singles from Walter and Gleason, but three straight outs by the 3-4-5 hitters ended the inning. UNH got a walk with two outs in the seventh, but a pop up to third base ended the contest.

With 40 wins, Adelphi sets a new Division II school record, surpassing the previous record of 39 set in 2007. The overall school record of 42 wins was set in 1983 (42-17) when the Panthers participated at the Division I level.

Adelphi will take on top ranked C.W. Post for the conference title. Coming into the finals with one loss, the Panthers must defeat the Pioneers twice to win.

Excerpts courtesy of ECC Media Relations