BANGOR, Maine – The No. 20 Husson University softball team saw its historic season come to an end on Saturday afternoon, as the team fell in the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Bangor, Maine Regional Championship at the hands of Williams College by a 4-0 decision at O'Keefe Field.
Much like Husson's (37-6) first three games of the regional round, pitching was king. Freshman Ana Lang for the Eagles and Sadie Leonard for Williams (26-11) were both dealing in the circle early, as Lang allowed just two hits and one walk through the first three innings, while Leonard surrendered no hits, two walks and one hit batter through the opening three frames.
Following a three-up, three-down inning from Husson in the top of the fourth, a lead-off double from the Ephs put them in prime scoring position. Lang looked to be close to getting out of the inning unblemished, but a two-out single from Williams plated one run and gave it the lead after four innings.
A scoreless fifth inning from both teams sent the game into the sixth still at 1-0 in favor of the Ephs. Husson looked to have set itself up to at least tie the contest up, as graduate student Katie Raymond led-off the inning with a walk and stole second base to put a runner in scoring-position for the Eagles.
Freshman Josie Cornell placed a perfect bunt in-between the pitcher and first-baseman to reach first and move Raymond over to third. Following a steal of second from Cornell, Husson was then set-up with runners on second and third and no outs in the inning. The Eagles were unable to cash-in on the opportunity, as Williams maintained its 1-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
The Ephs possessed a similar scoring-opportunity in the home-half of the inning, as they had runners on first and second with one out in the inning. Williams would put the game out of reach with a three-run home run over the left field fence, sending the Eagles to their last three out with a 4-0 deficit.
Husson managed to put the lead-off hitter on in the seventh, as senior Julia Gregoire singled up the middle, but two strikeouts and a groundout ended the Eagles' season.
Gregoire and Cornell posted the only two hits of the day for Husson, while Raymond drew three walks and sophomore Emily Dunbar also earned a free pass.
Lang kept the Eagles in the game as long as she could in the circle, pitching six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk, while striking out five hitters.
Listed below is the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Bangor, Maine Regional All-Tournament Team:
Brooke Sroczinski, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Ally Moran, Framingham State University
Makayla Rooney, Framingham State University
Ana Lang, Husson University
Bulla McCabe, Husson University
Kenzie Dore, Husson University
Ronni Ramos, Williams College
Katie Blanch, Williams College
Sydney Fleming, Williams College
Sadie Leonard, Williams College, Most Outstanding Player
