PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Freshman Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) hit a two-run single to break a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh inning and SUNY Cortland won the NCAA Division III Softball Regional at Plattsburgh with a 3-1 victory over Endicott College.
The Red Dragons (38-11), ranked 22nd nationally, advance to the eight-team NCAA Division III World Series May 16-20 in Salem, Va. Cortland will face the winner of the Rock Island (Illinois) Regional winner, still to be determined, in the opening round on Friday. Cortland qualifies for the World Series for the fifth time overall - the Red Dragons previously played at the Series in 1985, 1998, 2003 and 2004.
Sophomore Katie Finch (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth) tossed a five-hitter with no walks and seven strikeouts. She finished 3-0 with a save in Cortland's four regional wins and is 21-7 on the year. Finch and Cross were named to the regional all-tournament team along with senior catcher Amanda Barnett (Syracuse/Jamesville-DeWitt), junior outfielder Kim Whitman (Victor) and sophomore designated player Emily Ringen (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock).
Maria Mangine gave up five hits and three walks and struck out five in a complete-game effort for Endicott (41-6). Mangine, who finishes the season with a 15-2 record, represented the Gulls on the all-tournament team along with third baseman Merry MacDonald and designated player Rachel Pearson.
Mangine allowed no hits and two walks over the first four innings. In the top of the fifth, junior shortstop Bethany Williamson (Lyons Falls/South Lewis) led off with a single and pinch-runner Maria Blum (Alden) was bunted to second by pinch-hitter Crystal Carlson (Lancaster/Iroquois). Sophomore Jackie Begnoche (Montgomery/Valley Central) then hit a ball that was misplayed by the first baseman, allowing Blum to score.
Finch retired the first 11 batters she faced before giving up a two-out, infield single to Pearson in the fourth. Pearson finished 2-for-3 in the game. In the fifth, MacDonald hit a homer over the fence in center to tie the game at 1-1. The Gulls, however, never got a runner past first base the rest of the game.
Cortland's winning rally started with a leadoff single to right center by freshman Brooke Weidman (Perkinsville/Wayland-Cohocton). Begnoche successfully sacrificed Weidman to second and Whitman singled to left center. Weidman held at third, with Whitman taking second on the throw into the infield. Cross then singled up the middle to drive in both Weidman and Whitman and give the Red Dragons a 3-1 lead. Cortland continued to threaten, but left the bases loaded.
Other all-tournament team selections, in addition to Cortland's and Endicott's representatives, included Rachel Denny, Kate Livingston and Ashley Sullivan of Eastern Connecticut State, Jamie Harmon and Amanda Shevchuk of St. John Fisher, Jennifer Jimenez of Montclair State and Michelle Wlosek of Springfield.
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Cortland Softball - 2008 NCAA Div. III Plattsburgh Regional Champions (photo courtesy of Semeraro Photography)