FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — The No. 3 St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) softball team fell 2-9 to No. 5 SUNY College at Old Westbury in the Skyline Conference Championship on Friday afternoon. With the defeat, the Bears conclude their 2024 season with an overall record of 23-14.
How it Happened
The Panthers notched a first-inning run before posting three more in the second, 4-0. A home run off the bat of Madison Muehling in the top of the third further extended the lead to 5-0.
In the bottom half of the third, Autumn Poppett (San Diego, Calif./Mission Hills) led off the inning with a homer over the left-field fence, pulling a run back for the Bears, 5-1. She followed it up by tossing a scoreless fourth.
The fifth saw Old Westbury continue their scoring with a pair of runs crossing the plate on an SJBK defensive miscue. Two more scored in the sixth, increasing their advantage to 9-1.
The bottom of the sixth saw Vivian Garcia (Eastvale, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt) double to right field, sending Payton Walker (Eastvale, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt) home, 9-2.
Poppett and Olivia Martinez (Tomball, Texas/Tomball Memorial) each singled to begin the Bears' comeback effort in the seventh, eventually reaching scoring position. However, the Panthers kept the Bears off the board, holding on to their 9-2 result.
For the Bears
-
Poppett finished 2-for-3 at the dish. She recorded a pair of strikeouts in the circle; finishing her collegiate career with 123 K's.
-
Garcia and Martinez each batted 1-for-3.
-
Walker went 1-for-2 with a run scored.
-
Arianna Heinsch (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall Academy) logged a sixth-inning single to finish 1-for-4 at the plate.
-
In their third straight playoff appearance, the Bears record their second consecutive fourth-place finish in the Skyline Conference Championship.
