Ithaca, N.Y. – May 15, 2025 – The Springfield College softball team fell to 21st ranked Ithaca College, 2-1, in the opening game of the 2025 NCAA Division III Regional Championship on Kostrinsky Field this afternoon.

Ithaca improved to 28-6 and will take on ninth-ranked Texas Lutheran University at 11:00 am in the winner's bracket, while Springfield fell to 30-14 and will face UMass Boston at 1:30 pm in an elimination game. The loser of the Ithaca/Texas Lutheran game will play the winner of the Springfield/UMass Boston game in another elimination game at 4:00 pm.

It was another pitcher's duel for Springfield as it found itself in its 11th one run final score of the season. Anna Cornell, the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year, pushed her record to 16-3 in the circle for the Bombers as she scattered four hits, allowed one run and struck out 11 over seven innings, while Lily McCauliffe (Greenwich, N.Y.) moved her record to 8-3 for Springfield as she allowed just six hits and struck out five batters today.

After an inning and a half of scoreless ball, Ithaca struck for the game's first run in the bottom of the second on an RBI double to right center by Anna Bello. Haley Petrucci roped an infield single before moving to second on a wild pitch and then scoring on Bello's knock. Neither team allowed a base runner over the middle frames and Springfield ultimately tied the score at one in the top of the sixth.

With two outs, Callie Gendron (Berlin, Conn.) worked a walk and was pinch run for by Lyndsay Donston (South Windsor, Conn.). Donston advanced to third on a single by Michaela Ponticello (Gloversville, N.Y.) before Kate Katsetos (Brewster, N.Y.) drove in Donston to even the score.

Ithaca fought right back with a single run in the bottom of the sixth before Cornell returned to the circle for the Bombers in the seventh and shut the Pride down 1-2-3 to end the game with the 2-1 final score.

Katsetos ended her day with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate accounting for half of Springfield's hits in the setback. Ponticello and Marissa Seyfert (Farmingdale, N.Y.) also both record hits for the Pride today in the team's first NCAA Tournament game since 2017.

Today's meeting between Ithaca and Springfield was the first since April of 2000 and just the 14th all-time in the series. 

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