Home:
Softball News
Final AMCC Weekly Player Awards Go to D'Youville
Buffalo, NY (5/9/11)-After going a perfect 5-0 last week, the last three winscoming in the AMCC Tournament, D'Youville College garnered both Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference weekly softball awards.
For the third time this season Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion) was named AMCC Pitcher of the Week. Norton went 5-0 on the week with a 0.57 earned run average. In the AMCC championship game Norton tossed a four-hit shutout and struck out nine.
Danielle Phillips (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was selected as AMCC Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Phillips got two of the Spartan's three hits in the AMCC Championship game and drove in the game's only run. In three AMCC Tournament games Phillips hit .500 with three RBI.
D'Youville makes their first ever NCAA softball appearance Thursday May 12 at 10:00 a.m. and will face DePauw University in the first game of the Adrian, Michigan regional. The eight-team double-elimination regional will take place May 12-15 and will be played at Adrian College.
Spartans Going to Michigan for NCAA Regional
Buffalo, NY (5/9/11)-The 60-team NCAA Division III Softball Tournament brackets were announced today and D'Youville College will be playing in the eight-team Adrian, Michigan regional.
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference champion D'Youville (21-8), seeded eighth in the regional, will open play May 12th at 10:00 a.m. against Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference champion and regional top seed DePauw University (27-8-1).
Also in the eight-team regional is Trine (27-11), Ohio Northern (26-12), Baldwin-Wallace (27-9), Bethany, WV (29-14), and Alma (33-6). The double-elimination regional begins on May 12 and concludes May 16.
D'Youville is making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in softball.
D'Youville College Head coach Angie Churchill, a 2004 alum of Michigan where she played on three Big-10 winning teams, is excited. "To be able to go back to the state where I have so many great memories in this sport and to do it as a Head Coach with our D'Youville program making its first tournament appearance is amazing. Our team is looking forward to this regional experience."
For complete information about the Adrian regional, follow this link.
Softball Wins AMCC Championship, Spartans NCAA Tournament Bound
Cresson, PA (5/8/11)-The D'Youville College softball team will be going to their first-ever NCAA Tournament after beating Mount Aloysius 1-0 to win the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship.
It was the sixth-straight win for D'Youville (21-8) and the school's first AMCC championship in any sport since joining the league in 2009-10.
The games only scoring came in the bottom of the third inning. Alexis Walser (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) opened the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a successful sacrifice bunt by Erica Comisso (Cheektowaga, NY/Sacred Heart Academy) . Third-year outfielder Danielle Phillips (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) scored pinch runner Lisa Petty (North Tonawanda, NY/Mount Saint Mary Academy) from second with an RBI single, one of her two hits on the day, and the lead held up through the final four innings.
The only Mount Aloysius challenge came in the top of the seventh from a leadoff double, the only runner to reach second base all game.
"I'm extremely proud of the fight and never say die this team this team has shown in every inning of every game all year, said Spartan's Head coach Angie Churchill. "We are very proud to bring home the school's first AMCC title."
Pitcher Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion) ended the rally, and the game, with two strikeouts. Norton struck out nine and gave up just four hits in the final game. In the three tournament games Norton pitched all 22 innings, yielded 13 hits, striking out 22, and posting a paltry 0.95 earned run average. Norton set a new team single-season win record on Friday breaking the old mark of 13 set by Jenn Toth in 2006, and improved her record to 16-5 on the year.
The offensive star of the tournament for D'Youville was Danielle Phillips with a .500 average and three RBI.
Coming into the tournament as the second-seed, D'Youville went unbeaten in the three-day six team double-elimination event, and Sunday's game was the only one of the three D'Youville didn't have to rally to win. Friday against Penn State Behrend D'Youville never led until the game's final pitch. The Spartans rallied from two down to force an extra frame, then down a run in the bottom of the eighth inning but a lead-off home run from Norton and later Chelesa Stoeckl (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) scored the winner on a wild pitch for the 4-3 win.
Saturday D'Youville trailed 5-1 in the third to Penn State Altoona and reeled off seven unanswered runs in the next three at-bats to win 8-5.
Sunday's win came on the home field of the AMCC regular season champion and tournament's top seed Mount Aloysius (27-10). It wasn't automatic that coming from the winners bracket and only needing to win one game over the Mounties, coming from the losers bracket and needing to win twice, was a sure thing. Mount Aloysius swept both ends their April 9th home twin-bill against the Spartans (5-3 and 10-2). It was only the time since returning from their Florida trip in late March D'Youville had lost two games in a day.
First-year coach Angie Churchill came to D'Youville this past August after working as an assistant in the University at Buffalo program. As a player at the University of Michigan, Hanover was part of three teams that won Big-10 championships and advanced to the College World series.
D'Youville was picked to finish seventh in this year's AMCC pre-season poll. In 2010 the Spartans went 8-24 and did not qualify for the AMCC Tournament. The team only had six returning players and eight newcomers.
"There was no doubt in our minds at the beginning of the season we would make the playoffs and be in the AMCC championship game,” said Churchill.
It is the third time D'Youville College will be appearing in an NCAA Tournament. Women's basketball represented the school in 2007-08 and women's volleyball did the feat in 2008.
D'Youville will now await Monday's announcement of the site and opponents in their first-ever NCAA Softball Tournament.
Softball Advances to AMCC Championship Game with Comeback Win
Cresson, PA (5/7/11)-D'Youville College defeated Penn State Altoona 8-5 in the winners bracket final of the AMCC Softball Tournament and will play tomorrow at noon for a spot in the NCAA Division III tournament.
Not quite in the same dramatic fashion as Friday's first-round game, but the Spartans still had to overcome a deficit. This time D'Youville rallied from down 5-1 in the fourth inning with seven unanswered runs.
Kristie Ryan (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) had two RBI, Shannon Evans (Cheektowaga, NY/East Aurora) had two hits and two RBI, and Danielle Phillips (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) also had two hits and two RBI.
D'Youville pitcher Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion) stuck out six and only allowed four hits. Only one of the runs allowed was an earned run. Yesterday Norton set a new school single-season record for wins and today upped her record to 15-5 on the season.
D'Youville (20-8) has won five-straight and reached the twenty-win mark for just the second time in program history.
Tomorrow (May 8) at noon D'Youville will play the winner of the Penn State Altoona - Mount Aloysius losers bracket final that began at 6:00 p.m. Saturday and was rained out in the first inning. That game will resume Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The Spartans have the advantage in the final coming from the winners bracket. They need to win once to win the title, the opponent twice.
Softball Wins First AMCC Tournament Game in Dramatic Fashion; Norton Sets School Record
Cresson, PA (4/6/11)-D'Youville College opened play at the AMCC Softball Tournament with a 4-3 extra inning win over Penn State Behrend in a game the Spartans never led until the game's final pitch.
The game was scoreless through five and the sixth-seeded Lions broke through in the top of the sixth with a pair of unearned runs. Second-seed D'Youville answered in the bottom of the frame with two runs coming from a Chelsea Stoeckl (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Gabby Lathrop (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster).
The game moved to an extra frame and in the eighth Penn State Behrend took the lead 3-2.
D'Youville answered immediately with a lead off home run from pitcher Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion), then a double by Stoeckl. Stoeckl advanced to third on a ground out and scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
Norton tossed all eight innings and struck out seven for her 14th win of the season, a new school single-season record breaking the record of 13 set by Jenn Toth in 2006.
D'Youville (19-8), winners of four-straight, continues play in the AMCC Tournament tomorrow at approximately 1:00 p.m. in the winners bracket final. The Spartans are seeking their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in softball.
Second-Seeded Softball Heads to AMCC Tournament
Buffalo, NY (4/5/11)-D'Youville College will begin their quest toward the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth Friday at 2:00 p.m. in their first game of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Tournament.
D'Youville is seeded second after finishing the regular-season with a 14-4 league record, 18-8 overall.
D'Youville did not qualify for last season's AMCC Tournament after finishing with a 7-13 league record. The Spartans were picked to finish seventh in the AMCC pre-season poll and the Spartans surprised the conference under first-year coach Angie Churchill.
The winner of the six-team double-elimination tournament will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The tournament runs until Sunday (May 8) and will take place at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, PA.
Norton Named Athlete of the Year; Team Awards Presented
Buffalo, NY (4/4/11) - Director of Athletics Brian Cavanaugh presented the D’Youville College Athlete and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards in front 300-plus at Pearl Street Grill.
Two-sport standout Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion) was a one of two honored as D’Youville College Female Athlete of the Year. The third-year softball pitcher was dominant in AMCC conference play going 11-2 against league opponents with 1.36 earned run average and striking out 97 in 77 innings pitched. As a hitter Norton batted .348 with two home runs. Norton was also named the softball team’s MVP.
Norton played in all 25 games as a member of the women’s basketball team and grabbed 6.1 rebounds per game, second on the team, to go with a career-best 7.1 points per game and received the team's Most Improved Player award.
Head coach Angie Churchill present the team's Most Improved award to Shannon Evans (Cheektowaga, NY/East Aurora) and the Spartan Award to Chelsea Stoeckl (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North).
Spartan's Sutton Has Huge Afternoon in AMCC Opener
Steubenville, OH (4/3/11)-D'Youville softball swept their opening AMCC doubleheader of the season, winning big twice at Franciscan University.
In game one, Shannon Sutton (Lykens, PA/Upper Dauphin) went 3-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBI and pitcher Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion) struck out 12 leading D'Youville to an 11-1 win.
In the nightcap won by D'Youville10-0, Sutton went 2-3 with three RBI and pitcher Kristen Deschenes (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) scattered five hits and struck out three for her first career shutout.
D'Youville (6-4, 2-0 AMCC) has won three straight. The Spartan's play Medaille April 7th at McCarthy Park in Buffalo. Start time is 3:00 p.m.
Softball's March 26th Date Postponed
Buffalo, NY (3/26/11)-Weather has forced softball's conference home opener versus scheduled for Saturday March 26th versus Pitt-Greensburg, to be postponed. A rescheduled date will be announced in the near future.
The next scheduled date for D'Youville (4-4) is Saturday April 2nd at Franciscan University.
D'Youville Softball Splits on Final Day of Florida Trip
Clermont (3/23/11)-The D'Youville College Softball team closed out their schedule at the NTC Spring Games and will head north with a .500 record, a first for the program after concluding a Florida trip.
Wednesday the Spartans lost their first game of the day 4-3 to Western Connecticut State.
D'Youville rebounded with a a 6-3 win over Kalamazoo in their trip. Pitcher Kristen Deschenes (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) picked up her second win of the season.
The Spartans, under the direction of first-year coach Angie Churchill, are 4-4 overall and are scheduled to play Pitt-Greensburg March 27th.
Softball Defeats Union
Clermont, FL (3/22/11)-Softball closed play in the fourth day of their Florida trip with a 6-3 win over Union College. Kristen Deschenes (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) picked up her first win of the season for D'Youville.
The Spartans are 3-3 to open the season.
Earlier in the day the Spartans lost to Williams College 7-1.
Softball Wins Two on Day Two of Florida Trip
Clermont, FL (3/20/11)-After being shutout in both games on day one of their Florida trip, the D'Youville softball team rebounded by winning both of their games on day two of their schedule at the NTC Spring Games.
In the first game of the day, pitcher Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion) tossed a two-hitter with six strikeouts and Kristie Ryan (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) went 3-4 and scored two runs as the Spartan's cruised to an 8-0 win over Allegheny College.
Also recording two hits were Shannon Sutton (Lykens, PA/Upper Dauphin), Kristen Deschenes (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East), and Erica Comisso (Cheektowaga, NY/Sacred Heart).
In the last game of the day, Shannon Sutton went 3-4 with three RBI and Chelsea Stoeckl (Amherst, NY/East Aurora) went 2-2 as the Spartan's rallied to defeat MIT 6-4. Hannah Norton came on in relief and gave up just one hit and struck out four to earn her second win of the afternoon.
D'Youville continues play in Florida with games versus Williams College and Hope College Monday (Mar. 21).
New Assistant Athletic Director and Softball Coach Hired
Buffalo, NY (8/30/10)-D'Youville College Director of Athletics Brian Cavanaugh announces the hiring of Angela Churchill to the position of Assistant Athletic Director and Head Coach of women's softball.
"The addition of Angela provides our staff with a wealth of high level playing, coaching, and administrative experience from the NCAA Division I level," states Cavanaugh.
Churchill comes to D'Youville after working as an assistant softball coach at the University at Buffalo from 2005-10 and as a graduate softball assistant at Ohio University (2004-05).
Originally hailing from Mokena Illinois, Churchill played four seasons of softball at the University of Michigan and during her career the Wolverines captured three Big 10 championships and made three appearances in the NCAA College World Series.
