MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Keystone softball exploded for six runs in the eighth inning to advance past Saint Elizabeth, 6-1, Wednesday afternoon in the Colonial States Athletic Conference Championships play-in game at the Eagles' home field.
Giants pitcher Courtney Cienki (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) helped herself on the other side of the plate with a lead-off two-run homer in the top frame of extra-inning action — Kabrina Birmingham (Burlington, N.J./Burlington City) started the inning on second base due to the international tiebreaker rule.
After back-to-back singles from Angelina Morley (Deposit, N.Y./Deposit) and Alyssa Booth (Holland, Pa./Council Rock North), Lexy Johnson (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy) added three more runs with a home run of her own. Elle Olivero (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) closed out the scoring with an RBI single to score Paige Mokychic (Beaumont, Pa./Tunkhannock Area) from second.
Saint Elizabeth got a run back with Mercedes Rivera's sacrifice bunt to score Amanda Lopez, but that would be it as Cienki closed the victory out for the Giants by retiring the side in order.
Keystone improved to 15-16 on the season and advances to Sunday's CSAC Championships single-elimination tournament hosted by top seed Wilson.
Saint Elizabeth's season ends at 14-11, 10-6 CSAC with a fourth-place finish in the conference standings.
Inside The Box Score
- Cienki's game-winning hit was the first home run of her career and her lone hit on the afternoon. In the pitching circle, the sophomore notched five strikeouts with five walks allowed but just two hits given up for zero earned runs.
- Mokychic was the only player with a multi-hit outing, going 3 for 4 with a double and one run scored. The senior is now two hits and five runs away from tying career program records.
- Johnson's home run was her fourth of the season, marking a new single-season high for the senior. The third baseman was busy at the hot corner with seven defensive assists and zero errors.
- Eagles pitcher Alyssa Hampton was the losing pitcher on record with 10 hits allowed, four earned runs given up but her second straight game of zero walks handed out.
- Both teams had earlier opportunities to bring runs across the plate but couldn't cash in. Saint Elizabeth had a one out, bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the fifth but came up empty on back-to-back pop outs. Keystone led off the top of the seventh with a pair of doubles to put runners in scoring position but went down in order.
CSAC Championships: Sunday, May 8
Keystone will play in Sunday's CSAC Championships single-elimination tournament (changed from a double-elimination format due to impending inclement weather), first with a 2 p.m. matchup against top seed Wilson.
Championship game is set for 4 p.m. with the winner of Keystone-Wilson playing the winner of No. 2 Rosemont and No. 3 Cedar Crest. The Falcons are defending champs.
