Gwynedd Valley, Pa. - (4/29/2025) - The 2025 softball season came to an end with today's marathon Battle of Griffins as local National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II member, Chestnut Hill College (16-28-1) prevailed over Gwynedd Mercy University (12-25) in both games of the doubleheader; 12-11 (8 innings) and 11-10. Fifth-year
Jocelyn Baumeister (Willow Grove, Pa.) was 2-for-5 with a run and three runs-batted-in (RBI) with big hits in the first and sixth innings of game one. She also pitched (L, 9-8; 7.0 IP, 12 H, 11 R, 7 ER, 1BB, 5K) and went 3-for-5 with two RBI in game two. RBI singles in the first and third innings, followed by a two-run double in the sixth, and a sacrifice fly in the seventh totaled two runs and six RBI off a 3-for-4 game for sophomore third baseman
Hannah Cohen (North Wales, Pa.). Still, the Red and Gold also saw a four-hit game (4-for-5) for junior shortstop
Hannah Smith (Levittown, Pa.); she doubled in the third, singled to short in the fifth, singled to third in the sixth, and singled to center in the seventh.
Griffin Highlights - Game One
- Gwynedd Mercy University scored six runs in the first inning with seven hits and a Chestnut Hill College error; 6-0. A lead-off error off the bat of fifth-year center fielder Shylynn Cordero (Allentown, Pa.) got the ball rolling. It was followed by singles from senior left fielder Ally McDaid (Maple Glen, Pa.), sophomore second baseman Avery Schwartz (Collegeville, Pa.), Baumeister (2-0), fifth-year catcher Kaylee Colantano (Clinton, N.J.) (3-0), a double from senior right fielder Carly Maw (Bensalem, Pa.) (5-0), and yet another single from senior first baseman Shannon McLaughlin (Haddon Heights, N.J.) (6-0).
- After giving up a run in the second inning, 6-1, a seven-run fifth gave the visiting Griffins an 8-6 lead; the home Griffins fought their way to extra innings with one run in the bottom of the fifth (8-7) and a 3-2 win in the sixth (10-10. Freshman catcher Makayla Mihelcic (Souderton, Pa.) connected for her second home run of the season in the fifth inning, while freshman second baseman Madison Heim (Orwigsburg, Pa.) (10-8) and Baumeister (10-10) prvided the clutch hits in the latter frame.
- Senior pitcher Emily Murphy (Philadelphia, Pa.) took no decision and held Chestnut Hill College to one earned run on nine hits over 4.2 innings. A victim of circumstance, sophomore pitcher Grace Carney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) took the loss (1-6) without allowing an earned run. She did allow six hits while recording the final 10 outs.
Griffin Highlights - Game Two
- The offenses picked up where they left off in game one as Gwynedd Mercy University answered three first-inning runs with two of their own; a lead-off walk to Cordero and two-out hits from Cohen (3-1) and Baumeister (3-2) narrowed the early gap; 3-2.
- The difference was greater when the Griffins came to bat in the bottom of the third. There, Cohen's two-out single plated a pair of runs; 8-4.
- An error, a McDaid single, and a drive to left field from sophomore first baseman Caitlyn Kleinfelter (Newmanstown, Pa.) scored the Red and Gold's fifth run; 11-5.
- In the sixth, McDaid drew a walk, then two-out single from Heim (11-6), a double from Cohen (11-8), aand a Baumeister single narrowed the gap to two runs; 11-9.
- In the seventh, McLaughlin was hit by a pitch before a Cordero walk a Smith single, and a Cohen sac-fly brought Gwynedd Mercy University within a run of revenge; 11-10.
Gwynedd Mercy University finishes the 2025 season with a 12-25 overall record.
