CORTLAND, N.Y. (May 12, 2017) – Senior Alexis Schengrund (Hillsborough, N.J.) hurled a shutout in the circle and junior Taylor Allen (North East, Md.) drove in two runs to help lead the Widener University softball team to a 3-0 victory over SUNY Cortland in the opening NCAA Regional game for both schools on Friday afternoon at Dragon Field.
 
Widener got off to a quick start and scored first in the top of the opening frame. Ally Horvath (Chalfont, Pa.) hit a bunt single, stole second and then came home when pitcher Jamie Lachall airmailed her throw to first baseman Mikayla Shade on a bunt by freshman Jamie Gosselin (Abington, Pa.).
 
While Schengrund was in the process of keeping the Cortland offense in check, Widener was able to tack on two more runs in the top of the fourth when Allen blasted a two-out single to the power alley in left. The catcher's second hit of the afternoon plated junior Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.) and freshman Carli Benozich (Drexel Hill, Pa.) and eventually produced the final outcome.
 
Schengrund picked up the victory in the circle for Widener and improved to 6-2 this season by throwing a three-hit shutout. She struck out three and issued two walks while becoming the first pitcher to blank the Red Dragons since they lost a 1-0 game to Rowan on May 14, 2016 at the NCAA Regionals. Jamie Lachall of Cortland (29-13) suffered the loss and dropped her record to 12-7 after giving up six hits and three runs, including two earned, while fanning five and issuing one walk.
 
Widener (27-11) will next face nationally-ranked Messiah, which rallied to earn a 5-2 victory over Johnson & Wales in its tournament opener, tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m.