Rams Advance to Skyline Softball Championship on Sunday

Game 1: #1 NYU-Poly - 7, #2 Farmingdale State - 4

Game 2: #2 Farmingdale State - 9, #3 Mount Saint Mary - 0

Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State softball team lost 7-4 to #1 NYU-Poly in the first game today in the Second Round of the Skyline Playoffs, but bounced back in the second game of the day with a 9-0 win over #3 Mount Saint Mary to advance to tomorrow's Skyline Championship game.

Game 1

In the first game of the day against top-seed NYU-Poly, the Rams led 1-0 after the first inning on sophomore leftfielder Rebecca Richman's (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) single to score freshman second baseman Maressa Mistretta (Shirley, N.Y./Longwood) from third.

Farmingdale added three more in the third as Mistretta scored on an error for the 2-0 lead. Junior shortstop Nicole Farber (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) hit a two-run homer, her ninth of the season, to make it 4-0 Rams.

NYU-Poly had just one hit off sophomore pitcher Hope Zino (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) until the fourth inning when Ryan Graybill singled to get the second base runner of the day. Corinne Fitzgibbons knocked a two-run shot over the fence to cut Poly's deficit to 4-2.

Three more Poly singles loaded the bases in the sixth, before Fitzgibbons hit her second homerun of the day, a grand slam, to give Poly the 6-4 lead. An RBI double by Elizabeth Shrandt would add another run for a 7-4 lead after six innings and Poly held on through the seventh to advance to the Championship game on Sunday afternoon.

Game 2

With the double-elimination playoff format, the Rams then faced Mount Saint Mary in an elimination game today, with the winner advancing to face NYU-Poly on Sunday for the Skyline Championship.

Farmingdale scored nine runs in the first inning on six hits and four errors, highlighted by a two-run homerun from Richman and a two RBI triple by Mistretta. Rams junior pitcher Heather Buckshaw (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) held the Blue Knights to two hits while striking out seven to help secure her team a spot in the Championship round.

Farmingdale State will now face NYU-Poly at Noon. The Rams will have to defeat Poly twice to win the Championship. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Tomorrow's game(s) will be webcast at: http://www.poly.edu/life/athletics/live

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