DALLAS, Pa. (May 14, 2021) – Graduate student Samantha Schattin hit a two-RBI single in the top of the ninth and junior Erin Kreis did not allow a run after the second inning to help the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team earn a thrilling 8-5 victory in nine innings game two after dropping game one 7-0 of the MAC Freedom Championship series to force a winner-take-all game three in Weehawken, N.J.

After senior Madison Gemma led the inning off with a triple and junior Meg Halloran singled and advanced to second, Schattin stepped to the plate and ripped a single right back up the middle for her fourth hit of the day to bring home two and put the Ducks on top for the first time in the doubleheader.

Stevens added an insurance run thanks to an RBI single from fifth-year Abigail Circelli and Kreis came on in the ninth and retired all three batters she faced to give the Ducks an 8-5 win.

"Our team fought maybe the hardest I've ever seen them fight in game two," head coach Emily Kaczmarek said. "After game one, not playing the best version of us, and then going down 5-0 quickly in game two, to be able to turn it around and come back is just huge. That is what we like to call "build" in Stevens' softball. We're excited for tomorrow."

In the first contest of the day, the score remained scoreless through the first two innings before the Cougars broke through and put up a four spot in the bottom of the third.

After a double, a walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out, Nicole Elliott, the MAC Freedom co-Rookie of the Year, stepped to the plate and lifted a grand slam over the left field wall to put Misericordia on top 4-0.

The Ducks' best run-scoring opportunity came in the top of the sixth when Schattin doubled to lead off the inning and Alex Schoellig drew a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

Cougars' starting pitcher Alexis McHugh, a First Team All-Conference selection, danced out of danger though as she got a strikeout and a foul out to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the frame, Misericordia added three insurance runs thanks to a pair of RBI singles and an RBI double off the bat of Elliott to swell the score to 7-0.

McHugh then shut things down in the top of the seventh to clinch the win for the Cougars.

Senior Jessie Masur (14-3) was saddled with the loss in a start for the first time since March 20 against Widener University while McHugh (13-1) picked up the win in the circle.

Senior Victoria Kapp led the way offensively for the Ducks in game one going 2 for 3 for her second multi-hit game of the season.

The Cougars again jumped ahead with a big inning early in the second game as they tallied five runs in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a pair of RBI singles, a Stevens error and a wild pitch.

Trailing 5-0 in the fourth, the Ducks got on the board when Meg Halloran led the inning off with a single and raced home when Schattin ripped an RBI triple into center field.

Fifth-year Gina DeOliveira then drove in Schattin with an RBI groundout to make the score 5-2.

Stevens was not done there, however, as Schoellig singled to center field, Circelli was able to reach base on an error and senior Siobhan Cottell walked to load the bases with one away.

Senior Amanda Delorme and Gemma then followed with back-to-back bases loaded walks to cut the deficit to one.

After a force out at the plate put two outs on the scoreboard, Halloran was also patient at the plate as she drew a bases loaded walk as well to tie the contest at five.

The Cougars threatened to win the series in two in the bottom of the seventh as a single, a stolen base, a groundout and a walk put runners on the corners with two outs.

Kries did not blink, however, as she got McHugh to groundout to Kapp at second base to end the inning.

Then in the ninth, Gemma tripled and was lifted for pinch runner Elise Fauske before Halloran's infield single that put a pair in scoring position.

Schattin's RBI single was her fourth hit of the contest, tying her career-high and improving her batting average to an remarkable mark of .560.

DeOliveira then smashed a single up the middle of her own one batter later and Circelli came through with a big two-out insurance run when she laced a single into center field to score Schattin.

In the bottom of the frame, Kreis (7-5) sat the Cougars down in order for just the second time in the game with a strikeout and back-to-back flyouts to end the game and force a game three.

Kreis earned the win in the circle after tossing all nine innings and allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits and striking out five. After the second inning, Kries did not give up a single run and allowed just three hits the
rest of the way.

Offensively, Stevens set a new season-high with 16 hits as Schattin, DeOliveira, Schoellig, Circelli, Gemma and Halloran all had multi-hit efforts.

Next Up: The final game of the MAC Freedom Championship will be at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday at Waterfront Park in Weehawken. The Ducks will serve as the visiting team on the scoreboard by virtue of being the lower seed in the series. Stevens is looking for their first-ever conference title while the Cougars attempt to win their first title since 2012. Live stats and video for the contest will be available on StevensDucks.com.

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