CORTLAND, N.Y. (May 13, 2017) – Senior Ally Horvath (Chalfont, Pa.) won her third postseason game in the circle by yielding just four hits as the Widener University softball team defeated #12 Messiah by a 2-1 score to advance to the championship round of its NCAA Regional on Saturday afternoon at Dragon Field.
 
Messiah (35-9), which was the visiting team on the scoreboard, threatened to strike early by loading the bases with just one out in the top of the first. Freshman shortstop Carli Benozich (Drexel Hill, Pa.), however, gunned down Samantha Esper at home and junior Lauren DelRomano (Broomall, Pa.) tagged out Amber Bingaman on her way to second to get the Pride out of the major jam.
 
Widener (28-11) had its first major opportunity to get on the board in the bottom of the third by loading up the bags with nobody out. Junior Taylor Allen (North East, Md.) ripped a single up the middle, advanced to second on a bunt single by senior Nicole Burt (Staten Island, N.Y.) and then reached third safely on a fielder's choice. Allen was thrown out at home in her attempt to put the Pride ahead on another fielder's choice, but DelRomano was able to work up a walk on a full count to send in Burt for the game's first run.
 
After dodging a bullet in the opening frame, Horvath did just the same thing in the top of the fifth as the Falcons once again loaded the bases with one out and failed to send a runner home. Benozich caught a popup in short left while also keeping Carrie Fix honest at third, and DelRomano scooped up a hard grounder to get the Pride out of the inning.
 
Widener then used the momentum to double its lead in the bottom of the frame by playing small ball and capitalizing on two infield errors. Freshman Jamie Gosselin (Abington, Pa.) first bunted to the left side, reached second on a fielding error and advanced to third when a ball fielded cleanly by shortstop Amanda Jones was thrown away. The left fielder then came across the dish on a successful squeeze play executed by junior Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.).
 
Messiah was able to get on the board in the top of the seventh when Erin Cressman crushed a solo home run over the scoreboard in left with two down, but that was as close as the perennial powerhouse program would come. Horvath settled down again and induced a flyout to dead center which was easily caught by Sterling to end the game.
 
Widener's Horvath picked up her third postseason victory and went the distance to improve her record to 11-3 this spring. She allowed four hits and one run while striking out three. Madelyn Yannetti of Messiah took the loss and dropped to 17-5 after giving up five hits and two runs, including one earned, over six frames. She fanned two and issued one loss.
 
The Pride, who have now beaten Messiah three times in a row, will next play host SUNY Cortland in the championship round on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.