St. Lawrence University Athletics

The St. Lawrence University softball team won their elimination game 9-3 against third-seeded Rensselaer before having their season come to an end in the Liberty League tournament's double elimination semifinal on Friday afternoon. Maeve Thompson had four RBIs in the opening game, while Allison Kloft and Isabel Moreno both went deep over the course of the day.

The Saints' victory in their first game gave them their fourth tournament appearance of the season, setting a new program record for playoff games played in a single year. It also tied the Saints' program record for the deepest run in the Liberty League tournament, where they also qualified for the conference semifinal in 2013.

"I'm so proud of this group," said Saints head coach Tyler Pagaduan. "They fought hard all year and battled in the tournament. I'm very optimistic about what the future holds for this program. We will come back next season stronger than ever!"

Following the games, St. Lawrence will end the 2026 campaign with an overall record of 17-17, going 7-7 in league play and 2-2 in the conference tournament.
 

---

Game #4 (Elimination Game): #5 St. Lawrence 9, #3 Rensselaer 3

St. Lawrence's scoring kicked off in the top of the first inning, when Maeve Thompson reached base with a single. Later on in the frame, Allison Kloft stepped up with one out and launched her first career playoff home run – a towering two-run shot to give the Saints the game's first runs.

But the Saints didn't stop there, tacking on a quartet of runs as part of a two-out rally. Leah VerSchneider kicked it off with a two-out single, then Marina Juan walked and Marleigh Monroe cashed her in with an RBI knock up the middle, making it 3-0.

The implosion began shortly after for RPI starter Maggie Kreis, who hit Madison Connelly with a pitch to load the bases, then a wild pitch brought in St. Lawrence's fourth run. After Kreis packed the sacks with another base-on-balls to Emily Wendt, RPI head coach Amber Maissonet removed her from the game. Despite facing a new pitcher, Thompson came through in the clutch with her second hit of the inning, a bases-loaded drive to center bringing two runs around and making the score 6-0 for the Scarlet and Brown.

Following the first inning, Rensselaer got a run on the board when Callista Adorno bunted with two runners on and one out, then the ball got away after a close play at first that featured some contact between the baserunner and the covering second baseman Thompson. That allowed a run to score, and made it 6-1.

The Engineers threatened again in the second, getting a runner in scoring position off a sac bunt, but couldn't bring her around as Monroe slammed the door shut with a swinging strikeout.
St. Lawrence kept their five-run lead into the fourth, when Monroe led the inning off with a double down the left field line and Wendt walked, bringing Thompson to the plate and smacking her third hit of the day, this time for extra bases. The two-run double made it 8-1.

Monroe also reached base in her next plate appearance in the fourth, and scored another run Connelly unleashed a fly ball off the centerfield wall for an RBI double, putting the Saints in run-rule territory up 9-1 until an Adorno homer for RPI cut the Saints' lead to 9-3 entering the sixth. Monroe and the Saints shut it down from there, earning their first win over RPI since April 19, 2015 and their first Liberty League semifinal appearance since the formation of the conference.

Thompson had the best offensive outing for the Saints, pitching in with three hits and four RBIs while also adding a run scored. Marleigh Monroe added three hits of her own, with three runs, an RBI and a walk. Kloft went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Wendt went 0-for-1, but reached base via walks three times and had a run scored.

Monroe finished her outing with two earned runs on three hits over seven complete innings, walking five and striking out five for her second consecutive complete-game outing of the playoffs. It brings her season total to 11 complete games.
 

---

Game #5 (Semifinal): #5 St. Lawrence 2, #1 Rochester 10 (5 Inn.)

Much like the opener, St. Lawrence went to the offensive well early. With two outs in the top of the first, Kloft had a line-drive single into center with two outs to bring up Isabel Moreno. The cleanup hitter did her job, uncorking a two-run shot down the right field line and well over the fence for her first home run of the season at an opportune time. That made it 2-0.

Rochester had an offensive burst of their own in the bottom half of the inning, and it pulled them ahead in a big way. The combined to put nine runs across the plate in the opening frame of the contest, making it 9-2 Yellowjackets after the first inning.

After the 11 opening inning runs, the teams only combined for one more run the rest of the game as the Yellowjackets booked their ticket to the Liberty League tournament final against Ithaca with a 10-2 win.

Despite the eight-run loss, the Saints received hits from five different players, including two from Kloft and another deuce from Marina Juan.