The Sacred Heart University Red club softball team headed down to Wilmington, Delaware to compete in the NCSA annual First State Showdown over Columbus Day Weekend. This was the second consecutive appearance for the Pioneers as they looked to improve upon last years results. 
Saturday would see the Pioneers dominate the competition by winning their pool and claiming the number 1 overall seed in the single elimination portion. In their first game the team would be lead by a dominating pitching performance by sophomore, Kylie McNamara (Fairlawn, NJ) who pitched a complete game by striking out 10 through 5 innings. At the plate, fellow sophomore Emily Cooper went 3 for 3 with 2 triples and a walk to jump start the Pioneer offense. 

The next opponent for the Pioneers would be Loyola (MD) Greyhounds who the Pioneers had faced in last years tournament. In the circle, senior, Victoria Demercurio (Lake Katrine, NY) would get the complete game shutout holding Loyola (MD) to only 3 hits through 5 innings. The top of the order was the spark plug for the Pioneers in this matchup seeing a pair of freshmen, Hailey Perry (Attleboro, MA) and Grace Warner (Freeland, PA) go a combined 5 for 8 with 6 runs scored and 6 RBI. Warner was a home run shy of the cycle. 

The final opponent for the Pioneers during pool play was Rider University. As with the previous two games the Pioneers were helped out by some dominating pitching, this time by freshman Ellie Salvatore (East Waterboro, ME). The Pioneers would win in 3 innings due to the slaughter rule but through 3 innings Salvatore allowed only 2 hits while striking out 6. At the plate it was a total team effort in scoring 23 runs in 3 innings. Some of the most dominating performances came from freshman Liv Salveggi (Yorktown, NY) went 2 for 3 with a home run, freshman Talia Recenello (Cedar Grove, NJ) went 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored, 3 RBI and 2 doubles and Cooper again was dominate scoring 4 times and driving in 4. 
Sunday would bring the single elimination portion of the tournament and first up would be the same matchup from the day before in Rowan University. This time the Pioneers would take care of Rowan in 3 short innings winning 15-0. Salvatore would again be tough in the circle allowing only 1 hit while striking out 3.  This was a total team effort again at the plate with junior Mikayla Tucci (Harrison, NY) leading the way with 3 hits and 4 other Pioneers with 2 hits. 

In their semifinal matchup the Pioneers would again see 4^th seeded Loyola (MD) who would not go down without a fight. However, the Sacred Heart offense was still too much for the Greyhounds as they dominated 11-3 in another 5 inning shortened game. Cooper would continue her hot steak going 3 for 4 with 3 runs and 2 RBI adding another extra base hit. Junior Kassidy Pratt (Dartmouth, MA) would also stay hot going a perfect 2 for 2 with a triple and a walk. 

The championship game would see a matchup of familiar foes as the Pioneers took on the Blue Hens of Delaware. Sacred Heart has continuously come up against Delaware in regional competition or at various tournaments including Cavalier Classic hosted by the University of Virginia. Delaware came into this weekend 10^th overall in the country after an impressive performance in 2021-2022 finishing the season 28-5 and holding the #1 overall spot in the country for 6 consecutive months. The beginning of this game would see a stalemate for the first 3 innings until the Pioneers broke out for 3 runs in the bottom of the 4^th inning led by a solo home run by graduate student, Hailey King (Darien, CT). King's home run would spark the Pioneers offense as Pratt would double, McNamara would reach on an error and then senior, Payton Raftery-Smith (Wakefield, RI) would bring both around with a triple to right center. But the Pios wouldn't hold the lead for long as Delaware would answer back with 4 in the top of the 5th inning to take a 4-3 lead. But the Pioneers would answer in the bottom of the 5^th inning when King would bring home Tucci to tie the game. Both teams would threaten to score in both the 6^th and 7^th innings but would come up empty leading to an extra inning championship showdown. The NCSA plays by international tiebreaking rules so a runner starts off on second base. The Blue Hens first batter would pop out to foul territory in shallow right field but Tucci would make a nice play and a clean throw to third basemen Rebecca Del Toro (Bronx, NY) to get the double play. After two consecutive singles and the Blue Hens relaying with two outs, McNamara got a ground out back to the circle for the easy ground out. The bottom of the 8^th would see King lead off (with Cooper on second) and after sparking the Pioneers offense in the 4^thwith a home run and the game tying single in the 5^th, Delaware decided to not pitch to King and put her on 1^st base creating a force at each bag. However, none of that would matter as Salveggi stepped to the plate and deposited the first pitch over the centerfield wall for a 3 run home run giving the Pioneers their first ever First State Showdown Championship. 

"This entire weekend was all about every member of our team contributing. Everyone contributed on the field and made a ton of noise during all our games which gave us a big advantage" said head coach Ray Mencio. "I am so proud of the way this group came together and played as a real team" Mencio followed up with. 

When Salveggi was asked what her approach was leading to her last at bat she exclaimed "I was mad they walked her" and she certainly made them pay. The freshman was also named North Atlantic North Player for the Week for her performance. McNamara was also named North Atlantic North Pitcher of the Week for her two wins in the circle including the championship clinching victory.