Florida National Repeats as USCAA Softball National Champions

DUBOIS, Pa. – Florida National scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth and rode the pitching of Gabryella Hay as they repeated as USCAA National Champions with a 4-3 win over D’Youville College on Thursday afternoon

D’Youville (29-14) got on the board in the top of the first as Maddy Pepke opened the game being hit by a pitch and she scored one out later as Lauren Booth doubled down the left field line.

Florida National (33-17) answered with a run in its half of the first as Ariana Spinnanchia walked and went to third on a Hay double. Kyra Sunga hit a sacrifice fly to score Spinnanchia to even the game at one-all.

Both teams were kept off the board until the fifth inning when D’Youville scored twice. Hannah Bardeen opened the inning with a single through the left side and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emily Przybysz. Ava Miller followed with a triple to score Bardeen and she scored one out later as Pepke tripled to center.

In the bottom of the sixth, Julia Frank hit a one out single and went to second as Spinnanchia was hit by a pitch. Hay followed with a single to load the bases before Kyra Sunga reached on an error that allowed two runs to score. Gaby Obando’s groundout plated Hay with the third run of the inning for a 4-3 lead.

Hay, Obando and Julia Frank had two hits each for Florida National, while Spinnanchia scored two of the four runs. Five different players for D’Youville had a hit each.

2022 USCAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Tournament MVP – Gabryella Hay