Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ASTON, Pa.  – Immaculata University softball finished the 2017 season as the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) runner-up after forcing a winner-take-all game Sunday afternoon. The third-seeded Mighty Macs defeated second-seeded Neumann University, 3-2, in the first game of the day, handing the Knights their first loss in the double-elimination tournament. Neumann then came back in the deciding game with a 5-0 victory to clinch the CSAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
 
Senior Meghan Kugler was 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the first game, and Michaela Petito came in to pitch the final two innings in the circle giving up just two hits, no runs, and one strikeout.
 
Neumann (28-14) scored one run in the first inning as the runner from third scored on a throwing error trying to catch the runner at first stealing.
 
Immaculata (26-16) got on the scoreboard to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth with an Annemarie Bartow walk and Emily Mesey double into left field.
 
The Knights took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as they also scored a run on a walk and a double.
 
However, Immaculata loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning with just one out on a walk, fielder's choice and single. Kugler came to the plate and hit a single down the right field line that allowed both Bartow and Mesey to score, and it put Immaculata on top, 3-2.
 
Neumann got a lead-off single in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings, but Petito was able to get the next three batters out, and Immaculata held on for the one-run win, 3-2.
 
Jessica Bormann started the game for the Mighty Macs and went five innings for the win. She allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out a pair.
 
In the final game, Neumann scored two runs in the top of the third and one run in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. The Knights scored twice more in the seventh to secure the victory.
 
Immaculata got a runner on base in every inning until the seventh, but the Mighty Macs could not get the runner home.
 
Petito started and tossed the first four innings. She gave up six hits and three runs while striking out two. Bormann came in for the final three innings, and she allowed seven hits, two runs and struck out one.
 
It's the best finish in a conference tournament for the softball team since the 2009 season when the Mighty Macs also finished as runner-up. Immaculata's 26 wins this season mark a program record, breaking the 2014 record of 24 wins in a single season.