RINDGE, N.H. - For the first time in 13 years, the Assumption Greyhounds are Northeast 10 softball champions, walking off with the title on three-run Maddy Bland home run in the last of the seventh.
Coming from down 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning -- and against the league's Pitcher of the Year, SNHU's Julianna Colbert -- Assumption rallied for six runs on three hits in the final frame. Bland's final blow stands as her fifth homer of the season. The Greyhounds faced three pitchers in the seventh, chasing Colbert after 6.1.
Paige Cote (7-9) earned the win in the final two innings. She relieved all-conference arms Kalin Waldron and Kya Birtz, who went the first five.
Offensively Assumption had just three hits until the seventh inning. Bland and Bianca Vincequere, who both got on in the seventh) finished 2-3. Bland drove in three with her homer while Kaitlyn Cahill knocked home two.
SNHU's offense came across three innings, scoring in the fourth, fifth and sixth. All three scoring plays were singles by Alyssa Abbott, Kayse DeMoura and Sidney Rose. Peyton Feldman also finished 2-4 with a run scored.
Additionally, the day was a family affair for AU coach Stacey Mayer. The recently-new mother celebrated her first Mother's Day at the ballpark with her father coaching alongside her and her newborn, Callie, in the stands. Mayer's sister, Lindsay, is the head coach for Caldwell, who is also expected to make the NCAA Championship this week out of the CACC -- which could set up a sister-sister coaching matchup.
| ALL-CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS |
United States Marines Most Outstanding Player: Maddy Bland, ASM
Kaelin Waldron, ASM
Kaylee Lacomb, ASM
Julianna Colbert, SNHU
Kaysie DeMoura, SNHU
Alicia Ott, FPU
Tori Parente, ADE
Elite 24 Award: Delaney Duford, FPU
Sophomore
Health Science
4.00 GPA |
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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