Glassboro, NJ: The #1 seeded Profs of Rowan University won back-to-back games to win the 2025 NJAC Championship Tournament Title. The Profs move to 43-2 overall while the Roadrunners now stand at 31-9 overall. Rowan earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ramapo, who are currently ranked #23 in the latest NCAA NPI list, will wait to hear their name called on Monday, May 12th when the NCAA announces the 2025 NCAA Division III Softball Championship Tournament Bracket. The selection show is set to air on ncaa.com.
In the winner take-all game, the Profs pushed across a run in the top of the first inning as a sac bunt was misplayed allowing Liz McCaffery to score, 1-0. In the bottom of the second inning for
Katie Rygiel laced a two-out two RBI double to the right-center field gap to plate
Hannah Hensler and Clay'le Correa-Vanness for a 2-1 lead. The Profs would retake the lead in the top of the third with three runs highlighted by a two-run single from Bree Bryant, 4-2. Rowan extended their lead with five runs in the top of the seventh highlighted with a two-run double from Payton MacNair, 9-2. Rowan held the Roadrunners in the bottom of the seventh to secure their 12th NJAC Championship in program history. Rylee Lutz (19-1) struck out three, walked two and let up just five hits in the complete game win for the Profs.
Marissa DiPaolo (14-5) took the loss in relief for Ramapo as she struck out five, walked two and surrendered eight hits in 6.2 innings of work. Correa-Vanness finished 2-3 with one run scored while Rygiel finished 1-4 with two RBI.
Game One: The Profs forced the if necessary NJAC Championship game with a 5-2 win in the first game. Ramapo struck first with one run in the top of the first. Rygiel singled to lead off the game before advancing to second on a ground out.
Avery Kontura poked a single to left-center which allowed Rygiel to score with the game's first run and a 1-0 lead for the Roadrunners.
Rowan came back with two runs in the bottom of the first. An infield error and a single put runners two runners on before a sac bunt moved them to second and third with one out. A single from Pawlowski scored the tying run before the Roadrunners relay throw home was in time to tag out the second runner trying to score. Bryant then poked a double inside the left field line to plate Pawlowski with two outs for a 2-1 lead. Rowan added two runs in the third for a 4-1 lead before the Roadrunners cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth. Kontura led off with a single before moving to second on a sac bunt. Following the second out of the inning,
Hannah Hensler ripped a double off the left field wall to plate Kontura, 2-4. The Profs got the run back in the bottom half of the inning as Mckenzie Melvin recorded an RBI double as Liz McCaffery scored, 5-2. The Profs held the Roadrunners the final three innings of action to secure the win. For the Profs, Emily McCutcheon (18-1) struck out two, walked one and let up six hits in a complete game for the Profs. McKenzie Melvin and Kate Evick each finished with two hits while Evick led the way with two RBI.
Brook Knight (7-2) suffered the loss in the circle as she surrendered eight hits, five runs (three earned) while she struck out two and walked two. Rygiel and Gargiulo each finished 2-3 at the plate to lead the Roadrunners.
