SALISBURY, Md. - On Saturday, May 21st your Mount St. Joseph University softball team fell just short of a bid to the NCAA DIII Nationals. Just last weekend the Lions punched their ticket to the NCAA DIII Super Regionals for the first time in program history. With the Regional Championship behind them, Lions earned the right to take on the NCAA DIII #4 ranked team, the Salisbury Sea Gulls. The Lions battled all weekend but would come up just short.
The Lions needed a win on Saturday to even the series at 1, and another win to advance to the NCAA DIII Nationals. Squaring off in the circle would be two of the best pitchers in the country, The Mount's
Kamryn McCool and Salisbury's Lindsey Windsor.
These pitchers lived up to their expectations through the first 3 innings allowing just 1 hit each. But, the Sea Gulls would answer in the 4th piling on 7 runs (all unearned) capitalizing off the Lions' defensive mistakes.
Kamryn McCool would exit the game for the last time in a Lions uniform in the 4th. McCool ended her dominant career with exactly 500 strikeouts setting the bar high for the future Lions.
Casey Kemp would then enter the game in relief providing 3.1 innings of no-hit softball. Kemp allowed just a single walk while striking out 1 batter in the Lions final effort of the season. The Lions offense could not find their footing as the Salisbury Sea Gulls would end the game ahead 7-0 advancing to the NCAA DIII Nationals, ending the Lions 2022 campaign.
Here is what Head Coach
Beth Goderwis had to say following the game, "I can't be more proud of what we have accomplished. It's been an incredible year. This kid,
Kamryn McCool, got her 500th strikeout in the game which is incredible and to do that in 3 years and 16 games is even more incredible. She is going to be missed next year but this is feeling and being here, representing Mount St. Joseph University is a highlight of my career for sure. I'd like to thank all of our fans, families, and Dr. Williams again being here. The support that we've had over the course of this season from the University has just been incredible. I have to thank all of them for that support and getting us here. They put it all on the field and I could not ask anything more from them."
Here is what Lions' ace
Kamryn McCool had to say following her last game in the navy and gold, "We worked our butts off in the offseason, getting up early, working out and putting in extra work. Our girls stick together and we made it for the long run. It got cut short a little bit but I am super proud of them. It's been an incredible 4 years and I cannot thank my family enough for coming to all of my games and supporting me. I want to thank my teammates for always being there for me and backing me up and my coaches for always believing in me. We definitely wouldn't be here without all of them. Dr. Williams thank you for always supporting us and coming to our games this weekend, it means a lot. I am definitely going to miss it.
And just like that the Lions season comes to a close. We would like to thank everyone for tuning in during this historic run. We appreciate all the support and Congratulations to the MSJ Softball Team on a memorable campaign!
