ANNVILLE, PA. – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team dropped a 3-2 affair to DeSales in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Tournament Friday afternoon, ending the Ducks' quest for a third conference title in the last five seasons.
 
For the second straight day, each of Stevens' 1-through-6 batters recorded at least one hit, finishing the day a combined 9-for-24 (a .375 average), scoring and driving in both runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After Jessica Hsu stranded a runner at third in the top of the first, in the bottom of the inning, Megan Curtis singled with one out and stole second. Two batters later, Hsu singled up the middle, plating Curtis. Stevens (20-22) put runners in scoring position in the second and fourth but could not provide further run support for Hsu.
 
In the top of the fifth, DeSales (17-19) took advantage of a Stevens error to push the tying and go-ahead runs across, but the Ducks did not trail for long. In the bottom of the inning, Jessica Guerrero led off with a double. Two batters later, with Guerrero on third, Hsu came through with a game-tying single through the right side.
 
Following a scoreless sixth, in the seventh, DeSales went back in front on a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh. With Stevens down to its final three outs, Emma Quattrochi reached on an error and Hsu singled to left, putting two on with one out. Rachael Prescott moved both runners up 60 feet with a groundout to first, but that was as far as they advanced as a strikeout ended the game and the Ducks' tournament.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• As a team, the Ducks hit .355 (11-for-31), the 10^th time hitting over .300 in their last 12 games.
• Curtis' first inning stolen base was the team's 71^st of the year, breaking the previous team record of 70 set in 2022.
• Guerrero played in her 160^th game as a Duck, setting a new program record.

 
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