Centennial Conference Softball Championship Website
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – After an emotional ride on the final day of the regular season, the Gettysburg College softball team will head to the Centennial Conference playoffs this weekend looking to win its first conference title in five years.
Every year, the race for the coveted four playoff spots seems to come right down to the final day of the regular season and it was no different on April 28. Gettysburg, Washington College, Ursinus College, and Muhlenberg College were all in danger of missing the postseason heading into their games.
Gettysburg and Ursinus each split doubleheaders at Haverford College and Swarthmore College, respectively, while Muhlenberg swept Franklin & Marshall College. Each ended the day sporting 10-6 records in conference play with the Bullets and Bears advancing to the postseason via tiebreakers over the defending conference champion Mules. Washington split with conference front-runner and tournament host McDaniel College to lock up a playoff spot with an 11-5 record.
Head coach
Sam Abrams, who secured her 100th career victory and a playoff spot with a 9-4 victory in the nightcap at Haverford College, has her team in the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.
“We were so excited,” said Abrams. “They've worked so hard and it was definitely such a great day when we found out we had made it in.
“We knew going into game two if we wanted to give ourselves a chance at making playoffs we'd have to come out hard. That's what we did. It was definitely an emotional ride. When we heard about the outcomes from the rest of the day, it was a great feeling.”
McDaniel will host the event on Saturday and Sunday (May 5-6). Gettysburg will face Washington in the opening game at 10 a.m.
Anything is possible when it comes to the postseason tournament. The top seed has failed to defend its field in each of the last three seasons. In 2009, rain wiped out the second day to hand the trophy to Muhlenberg as the highest remaining seed, while Dickinson College ran to the title as the No. 4 seed in 2010. Muhlenberg defeated the Red Devils in the championship game in 2011, but both teams missed the postseason this spring.
After missing the event last spring, Gettysburg is focused on winning its first title since 2007. The program also captured the crown in 1994 and 1999 before the creation of the playoff system.
“I think it's important to focus on Washington,” noted Abrams. “When you go into a championship tournament, I think the best advice that we can give is not to have any regrets and leave everything you have to give on the field.”
Gettysburg enters the weekend as the top hitting team in the conference with a .333 batting average. The team also ranks second in ERA at 2.76 and opponent batting average (.261), but according to Abrams, defense will be a key element in winning a title.
“We're definitely going to have to continue to play the defense we've played in the last few ball games. As far as hitting, being aggressive and attacking good pitches when we see them. There's definitely going to have to be some timely hitting in there. It's also important to always stay up and never get down emotionally.”
Four games will take place on the opening day of the double-elimination tournament. Sunday's first game is set for 10 a.m. followed by the championship game at about noon.
