LATHAM, N.Y. - The Penn College Softball team defeated Wilson College in a best-of-three series (2-1) to raise the United East Championship banner. With this conference title win, the Penn College Wildcats earned the automatic qualifier for the 2024 Division III NCAA softball championships.

In the Pursuit for the United East Softball Championship, the Volt Division champs, Penn College defeated the Skye Division champs, Wilson College, 2-1. In the first game of the series, Wilson upended the Wildcats 1-0. Penn College went on to win games two and three of the series to become the 2024 United East Softball champs. 

Tournament MVP: Mackenzie Weaver, Penn College
Elite 20 Award: Haiden Brookens, Wilson College

GAME 1: Wilson def. Penn College - 1-0 (8 Inn.)

Both pitchers recorded a complete game in the first contest on Saturday morning as the Pheonix outlasted the Wildcats in extra innings. For the Phoenix, Rylee Piper recorded yet another win at the mound (19th) as she threw a shut-out with four strikeouts and only allowing four hits through eight. For Penn College, Mackenzie Weaver sat down seven batters with Ks. 

With bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, Hailey Privett continued her dominant United East tournament performance, as she stepped up to the plate and delivered a walk-off RBI single down the left field for her lone hit of the day, propelling the Phoenix to a 1-0 victory. An additional five batters registered a hit on the day for Wilson.

GAME 2: Penn College def. Wilson - 2-0

The Wildcats avenged themselves in game two with a 2-0 victory over the Phoenix. Penn College registered one run in the fifth and seventh innings to outlast Wilson. Madison Herriman opened up the scoring with an RBI single to the right field in the top of the fifth, bringing in Madison Shaffer. Two innings later, the Wildcats added another run thanks to the bat of Grace Lorson who doubled to left field bringing in a runner to extend the lead to 2-0.

Six Wildcats recorded a hit in the contest as Madison led the way going 3-for-4 at bat and registering one RBI and a run. Margaret Mangene went 2-4 at the plate to help the Wildcats in their game two win. Four Wilson College players recorded one hit.

Fayth Anderson controlled bump for Penn College, throwing a shut-out with three Ks and not walking a single batter. Fayth recorded her 13th win on the year with the game two performance.

GAME 3: Penn College def. Wilson - 13-3

The Wildcats got off to a hot start in a winner-takes-all game three. In the first inning, they put up three runs thanks to a double by Lexi Synder and a two-RBI double to left field by Mackenzie Weaver. In the third inning, the Wildcats added three more runs, extending their lead to 7-1.

Throughout the game, nine different batters recorded at least one hit. Madison Herriman led the way going 4-5 at the plate, recording two runs and one RBI. Mackenzie Weaver went 3-for-5 with a game-high 3 RBIs. Grace Lorson and Ivvy Morder also chipped in three hits in the dominant game three performance.

Weaver pitched another complete game at the mound for the Wildcats, recording the most important win of her season (16th) with two strikeouts.

The 2024 NCAA Softball selection show will kick off on Monday, May 13 at 11 a.m. as the Wildcats will wait to see who they’ll face off with in round one of the tournament. Competition for the tournament will begin on Thursday, May 16.