BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Sophomore Claire Alexander (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport Area) got the fifth-seeded Lycoming College softball team started in the top of the first, leading off with a homer over the left field fence as Lycoming scored seven in the inning en route to a 10-0 run-rule shortened win over second-seeded Catholic University of America to reach the finals of the Landmark Conference Championship on Sunday afternoon, May 12, at Blue-Grey Field.
 
Junior Avery Eiswerth (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) and senior Kylie Russell (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) combined on a one-hitter to shut down the Cardinals (28-15 overall), as Lycoming (18-15 overall) reached a conference final for the second year in a row after facing Misericordia in the MAC Freedom Championship in 2023. It is the first time since 2004-05 that the Warriors have reached the conference title game in back-to-back years.
 
The Warriors face top-seeded Moravian (29-8 overall) in the conference finals, which begin at 2:30 p.m., at Blue-Grey Field. The Warriors need to beat the Greyhounds twice in order to win the tournament.
 
Senior Kylie Segraves (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) walked, junior Rachel Daub (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale Area) reached on an error and Eiswerth a bunt right in front of the plate for a single to load the bases with one out in the first to continue the rally started by Alexander. Sophomore Mallory Rodarmel (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) delivered a single into center field to score a run before sophomore Hailee Sobieski (Wharton, N.J./Morris Catholic) drilled a bases-clearing double into right center. First-year Cadence Lines (Middletown, Pa./Middletown Area) followed with another double into the right-center field gap to make it 6-0. Russell singled to move Lines to third before she scored on a fielder's choice.
 
In the fourth, the Warriors continued to pour it on, with Russell reaching on an infield single. After a sac bunt, Segraves drove a double to right field to score Russell. After a single by Daub and a fielder's choice that caught Segraves trying to score, Eiswerth and Rodarmel hit back-to-back RBI singles to make it 10-0.
 
Eiswerth was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI, Rodarmel was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI and Russell was 2-for-3 with a run, as the trio combined for six of the team's 11 hits.
 
Sophia Fike had the lone hit for the Cardinals.
 
Eiswerth (9-8) earned the win, allowing one hit and one walk in three scoreless innings. Russell was perfect in her two frames, striking out one. Alex Pley (12-5) allowed four hits and five earned runs in 0.1 innings.