SALEM, Va. -- They are not done yet! The Roanoke Softball team has been given an at-large bid into the 2023 NCAA Div. III Softball Tournament after finishing runner-up at the 2023 ODAC Tournament.
The Maroons (27-12) were the top-seed in the ODAC Tournament but fell in the championship series to Randolph-Macon. Roanoke begins its NCAA Tournament with a contest against Misericordia (Pa.) (26-11) with the winner taking on the winner of Christopher Newport and York. The Captains are the host for the regional in Newport News, Va.
This season Roanoke is led by Adriana Rivera who is batting .333 this season with 34 hits including nine doubles and a triple for a .441 slugging percentage. She also has 19 RBIs. The heavy hitters are led by Lilly Burns who has 12 doubles, one triple, and four home runs with a .538 slugging. Jordan DiFava has played a key role in making sure runners get where they need to be with 12 sacrifice hits this season. In the circle the Maroons were led by Jada Karnes who went 16-5 with 149.0 innings pitched while striking out 109 batters. Her 16 wins and 109 strikeouts are both second best in the ODAC.
Misericordia is 26-11 heading into the NCAA Tournament for their first appearance since 2012 after they won the MAC Freedom Championship, 4-0 over Lycoming. The Cougars are led by Kaitlin Redling who is batting .427 with 44 hits, 13 doubles, and eight home runs. She is slugging .786 with 35 RBIs. Alexa McHugh leads the pitching staff with a 13-2 record. She has pitched 101.0 inning with 115 strikeouts with a 0.97 ERA.
Christopher Newport, the defending national champion, dropped the championship series of the Coast-to-Coast Conference Tournament to Salisbury last weekend but will be making their 21st NCAA Tournament appearance. The Maroons and Captains split a doubleheader earlier this season with the Maroons winning 2-0 and the Captains winning 1-0. Brooke Gleaver leads CNU with a .420 batting average with 37 hits including 13 home runs and seven doubles. She is slugging .943. Kate Alger leads the Captains from the cricle with a 13-5 record with 153 strikeouts.
York enters the tournament as the winner of the MAC Commonwealth Tournament. They dropped their opening tournament game before rattling off five straight elimination-game wins, defeating Lebanon Valley to win the title. Alyssa Harhigh leads the offense for the Spartans with a .372 batting average including eight doubles, seven home runs, and two triples. She is slugging .645%. The Spartans have split pitching duties this year with both Amanda Criss and Natalie Rietema pitching over 110.0 innings. Criss leads the duo with 112 strikeouts.
Roanoke's first contest is with Misericordia on Thursday, May 18 at 2 p.m. at Captains Park in Newport News.
