Siena softball wins first MAAC championship

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — For the first time ever, the MAAC Softball trophy resides in Loudonville, New York. Siena Softball completed a week-long journey of balance, power, hard work, and fun to capture its first-ever MAAC Softball Championship on Saturday at Softball Park at Gartland Athletic Field in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The No. 6 seed Saints (33-20) capped a stretch of four wins in as many days with a 7-6 victory over No. 4 Canisius 23-22) in the 2024 MAAC Championship Game, defeating the Golden Griffins for the second time in 24 hours to secure the title.

It truly is anyone’s game in the postseason. Two weeks ago, The Saints sat on the edge of qualifying for the tournament following a six-game conference losing skid. The team dropped a five-inning 11-0 decision at Manhattan last Saturday to conclude the regular season. Now, the Green and Gold will head to the NCAA Softball Regionals for the first time ever under fourth-year head coach Casey Bump .

Beginning with Wednesday’s opening-round win over No. 3 Rider (5-1), Siena’s path to the mountaintop included a 3-2 win over No. 2 Niagara on Thursday to send it into Friday’s winner’s bracket final for the first time ever, which it won, 8-4, over Canisius. The Saints are now the third No. 6 seed to win the MAAC title (2021, 2017), and by doing so, set a single-season program record with its 33 ^rd win of the season.

Coming out of the winner’s bracket for its fourth game of the Week, Siena faced a Canisius team entering its fifth game after wrapping up an elimination game victory after 7 PM Friday evening. Both teams’ aces – Siena’s Alissa Eimont and Canisius’ Megan Giese – entered the morning north of 350 pitches, but it did not stop either from pitching complete games.

Entering its second MAAC Championship Game in three years while facing a team participating in its fourth straight title bout in a rematch of the 2022 MAAC Championship contest, Siena surrendered its first lead of the tournament in the bottom of the first, with Canisius scoring on a sacrifice fly after the Saints stranded the bases loaded in the top of the frame. The designated home team went up 2-0 in the third inning after stranded one Siena runner defensively in the second and third innings.

Down but not out, the Saints turned in a five-run frame for the second straight day against their Buffalo-based opponent in the top of the fourth. Junior McKenzie Swinson singled to center field with runners on first and second, allowing freshman pinch-runner Mary Mikalsen to score by way of an error on the catcher. The team then got hold of a lead it would not relinquish with senior Isabella Pardo rocketing an RBI double to left center field to score Swinson and senior Mikala Fletcher . The lead reached three with sophomore Emma Petersen reaching on a fielder’s choice which led to freshman Chloe Cummings and Pardo scoring on a throwing error by the shortstop.

Now with hold of the lead, Siena ended the fourth inning on a double play while both teams stranded a runner on in the fifth and the Saints did so in the top of the sixth. Canisius proved its resiliency and veteran strength with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth from Sydney Costan to pull back within a run entering the seventh inning. Junior Ashley Giampolo singled to begin the seventh and was pinch-run for by sophomore Mackenzie Faherty , who reached second on a sacrifice bunt and came in to score Cummings put the Saints’ lead back at three with an RBI single to second base to score Swinson.

Canisius entered the bottom of the seventh with one final opportunity and again came within striking distance of forcing what would have been the first MAAC Championship winner-take-all game since 2015. Eimont stayed in the game despite the bases loaded and nobody out to induce a pair of flyouts, but senior Emily Illano doubled to center field to drive in two runs and bring the lead back to just one with two runners on. Fletcher followed a deep fly ball into the gap in right-center on the next at-bat to make the game-ending catch and secure the final victory.

Siena won its third straight game despite being out-hit, this time, 9-8, with Pardo going 3-5 and redshirt-senior Diana Parker also recording a multi-hit outing. Eimont finished the four-game week having tossed every bit of 481 pitches to tie the program single-season record for wins with her 20 ^th of the year, striking out three in the process. Pardo ended her career in Green and Gold with the second-most hits (210) and second-most runs (130) in program history while completing her third straight campaign of 57 hits or more in a season – all of which rank inside Siena’s top ten.

Eimont was named the 2024 MAAC Championship MVP, while Petersen, Swinson, Pardo, and Fletcher were all named to the MAAC All-Championship Team.

Siena now advances to take part in its first-ever NCAA Regional appearance, with 16 regionals taking place nationally beginning either Thursday, May 16, or Friday, May 17. The Saints will find out where they will head next during the 2024 NCAA Softball Selection Show, set to air on Sunday, May 12 at 7 PM on ESPN2.

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