(Weston, Mass.)- The SUNY Canton softball team turned in another dominating performance on Sunday as they captured the Sunrise Conference championship beating the University of Maine at Presque Isle 11-1 in five innings at Regis College in Weston, Mass.
The top-seeded Roos improved to 13-6 and will now advance to play the winner of the Gulf Coast Conference in an NAIA national tournament qualifier next weekend in Charleston, West Virginia.
SUNY Canton won all three of their games in the tournament in five innings and outscored their opponents 37-4. The Roos had already won the regular season conference championship and Sunday was a culmination of a major rebuilding effort for the program which has not had a season the past two years.
Heather Lottie (Canton, N.Y.) and
Colleen Rivers (Bay Shore, N.Y.) each smacked home runs to lead the Roos on Sunday. Lottie ripped a three-run shot, her second of the weekend, in the second inning that cleared the left-field fence. Rivers then blasted a solo shot, her first of the year, to center in the third inning. Lottie finished 1-for-3 and Rivers was 1-for-2 with a walk.
SUNY Canton built a 6-0 lead after four innings before the Owls finally got on the board when Brittany Humphrey blasted a lead-off double and then eventually came around to score.
But the Roos answered with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to put the game away.
Tina DeLuca (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.) tossed another outstanding game for SUNY Canton as the freshman gave up just three hits and one walk and struck out three in five innings. She pitched out of several tight jams with runners in scoring position and also helped her cause with a two-run single in that big fourth inning.
Jenifer Shaw (Helendale, Calif.) went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Shelby McGraw (North Lawrence, N.Y.) was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
Vickie Lynch (Howard Beach, N.Y.) added a double and two runs.
Carolina Olivares (Adelanto, Calif.) and
Danielle Callahan (Kingston, N.Y.) each singled and
Briana Reynolds (Lewis, N.Y.) contributed an RBI.
Lainey Herring and Nicole Russell each singled for Presque Isle. Russell took the loss on the mound as she allowed 12 hits and four walks in four innings.