Softball finishes fourth in the nation after going 1-1 on third day of USCAA Small College World Series

DUBOIS, Pa. --- Carlow University softball battled back through elimination games to finish fourth in the USCAA Small College World Series at Heindl Field Wednesday.

After losing the play-in game, 1-0, to No. 8-seed Southern Maine Community College Monday, the No. 9-seed Celtics picked off No. 5-seed Bay Path Tuesday and defeated SMCC in a rematch, 8-4, later that day.

The Celtics continued their climb through the bracket Wednesday, eliminating No. 3-seed Penn State Schuylkill 10-0 in six innings, before falling to No. 7-seed Salem (W. Va.) University, 9-0, in five innings. Salem faces No. 1-seed Penn State Brandywine in the USCAA Championship game today.

The Celtics ended the season 16-25 overall and an even 9-9 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference action.

Penn State Schuylkill: W, 10-0 (6 inn.)

Carlow began the day Wednesday with a run-rule, shutout upset over Penn State Schuylkill.

Megan Pollinger led the Celtics at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and a walk. Clara Niglio earned the win in the circle after allowing three hits with three strikeouts and a walk in three scoreless innings. She also helped her own cause by going 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI at the plate.

Schuylkill (25-16) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first with a big strikeout but could not hold the Celtics back long.

Bella Cartieri and Tatum Wiggs singled to reach base in the second inning, and a two-out, two run double to left field by Niglio put the first runs on the board for Carlow. Pollinger followed with a double to left field to bring Niglio around, and Carlow left two runners stranded in the bottom half of the frame to lead, 3-0, after two.

Maddie Bowes made a diving save in right field to prevent a hit in the bottom of the third, and Niglio caught a batter looking to end the inning with a strikeout.

Pollinger hit her first home run of the season, fully clearing the left field fence to put the Celtics ahead 5-0 on two outs in the top of the fourth. A walk extended the inning for Carlow, but Schuylkill left two runners stranded with another strikeout.

A basket catch in left center by Pollinger robbed the Lions of a hit in the fourth, and Justena Giles made it out of a bases-loaded situation with a pop fly to shortstop that ended the inning for the Lions.

Giles stranded two more with a ground out she took herself after back-to-back two-out singles in the bottom of the fifth, and Carlow ran away with the game in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs on five hits and three walks as the Celtics retired the side to secure the win in the bottom half of the frame. Giles allowed three hits with two strikeouts and a walk in the final three innings of play.

Emma Crisswell suffered the loss after allowing five earned runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and four walks in five innings of work.

Salem: L, 9-0 (5 inn.)

The Celtics' championship run ended later that day with a 9-0 run-rule loss to Salem University. Andrea Gallegos two-hit the Celtics through five innings with one strikeout to secure the win for the Tigers (17-35).

Three singles and four doubles scored five runs for Salem in the bottom of the first.

A walk, a double and a single on two outs added two more runs in the bottom of the second before Giles caught a batter looking for a strikeout to get out of the inning.

A two-run home run in the third put the Tigers ahead 9-0, but a running catch by Pollinger in left field prevented more from scoring, and Wiggs pitched a second fly out to end the inning.

Francesca Beighley made a diving stop at second to record the second out in the bottom of the fourth, and Wiggs struck out two batters to keep Carlow in the game. The Celtics had a runner on third in the top of the fifth but could not bring her home.

Niglio was saddled with the loss after allowing five earned runs on six hits in 0.2 innings.

Sierra Chapa went 2 for 3, and Syriah Trujillo hit 2 for 2 with a double and two RBI to lead the Tigers.

In the tournament:

Niglio hit .529 with an .824 slugging percentage, going 9 for 17 with three doubles, a triple, seven RBI and two walks. She was 2-2 in the circle with a 3.00 earned run average, 15 strikeouts and four walks over 18.2 innings.

Beighley also hit .529 with a .647 slugging percentage, going 9 for 17 with two doubles and two RBI.

Pollinger went 8 for 16 with three doubles, a home run and five RBI, and six other Celtics added 14 hits and nine RBI in the effort.