Box Score (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Box Score (St. Mary's)
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – The William Paterson softball team (2-2) upset No. 7 Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 7-3, and defeated St. Mary's, 2-0, during the second day of play at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic March 10 in Panama City Beach, Fla.
Against Wisconsin-Eau Claire, which was ranked seventh in the NFCA Top 25 Poll (March 8), the Pioneers combined six hits with six opponent errors to pull off the upset victory. Following single runs scored in both the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, William Paterson exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fifth. April Sardinas-Wyssling (Plainsboro, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro South) singled, followed by an Alicia Albert (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) home run over the left-field fence. Three straight errors by the Blugold defense helped lead to two more runs for the Pioneers in the fifth, and another pair of errors in the sixth plated a run by senior Brandi Kavaliauskas (Sicklerville, N.J./Highland Regional).
Sardinas-Wyssling was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Kavaliauskas was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Freshman Danielle Ballard (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook) scattered seven hits and allowed three earned runs in 6.1 innings. Junior Diana Schraer (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) pitched the final 0.2 inning, striking out two and giving up two hits to preserve the victory.
Against St. Mary's, William Paterson scored both of its runs in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Meghan Reilly (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored two batters later on an error by the pitcher off the bat of Casey Sierra (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional). Sierra advanced to second on a wild pitch, and was lifted for pinch runner Kathleen Wehmann (Harrington Park, N.J./Old Tappan). Wehmann moved to third on another wild pitch, and scored thanks to a single by pinch hitter Ana Abourashed (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex).
Kavaliauskas led the Pioneer offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. Schraer threw the complete-game shutout for her first victory of the season.
The Pioneers received 19 votes (26th) in the first NFCA Top 25 Poll of the season (March 8).
William Paterson will finish play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday, March 11, taking on Plattsburgh at 8:30 a.m. in Bronze Bracket play. Depending on their result, the Pioneers will then play at either 10:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
