Still working to become further established in just its fourth season as a college softball team, the Marymount University Saints have won a significant championship.
The Division III women’s team this spring became the best in the Atlantic East Conference by winning the postseason tournament for the first time, earning the squad its initial NCAA-tourney berth.
Marymount’s season is now complete, finishing with a 19-16 overall record, including a 10-4 overall mark against conference rivals. The Saints finished 4-1 in the league tournament, winning its final three games after a second-round loss.
Top seed Marymount was the home team when it defeated Immaculata University, 3-1 and 8-0, in the final two games to win the title at Rotary Field in Winchester.
In the NCAA regional tournament in Marshall, Texas, Marymount went 0-2, losing to East Texas Baptist University and Belhaven University to end its. East Texas was ranked No. 1 in the country, and Mississippi’s Belhaven played in last season’s World Series championship game.
Despite falling short nationally, “I couldn’t be happier with how our season turned out,” Marymount coach Leigh Murray-Winstead told ARLnow.
“We accomplished all of our goals and we defined our culture and focused on that process,” Murray-Winstead said. “The players were really fired up for the tournament and locked it down. Everything fell into place. That’s all pretty special.”
As the season progressed, Murray-Winstead said the Saints’ defense and the hitting improved. Marymount’s team batting average was 30 points higher than last season, when the Saints lost in the conference-tournament semifinals.
Marymount made only one error in the final two-conference tourney wins over Immaculata, and received complete games by two different pitchers.
Junior right-hander Bailey Demusz went all seven innings, striking out 13 and tossing a five-hitter in the 3-1 victory. She walked one and threw 129 pitches. Demusz was chosen as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
In the 8-0 win over Immaculata, Emma McCormack threw a five-inning complete-game four-hitter with two strikeouts.
“The pitching of Bailey and Emma was a good one-two punch,” Murray-Winstead said. “Bailey really stepped up big time in that game. Emma was phenomenal, because she had some injuries issues this season.”
Leading the Marymount bats in that win were Kaylynn Johnson, Hailey Leamer, Ashleigh Mannion and Lelia Hernandez with two hits each and RBIs. Jenna Jew, Haley Greer and Samantha Cinotti each had hits and RBIs.
Leamer and Kaylee Atkins each had a hit and an RBI in the 3-1 victory. The Saints scored two runs in the sixth inning to take the lead.
Chosen first-team all-conference for Marymount were Atkins, Cinotti, Jew, Johnson and Greer. Making second team were Demusz, Leamer and Kammie Brown.
NOTE: Marymount’s 19 wins were one short of tying the most in a season set last spring, when the Saints won 20 games … Marymount lost four games by one run and five by two this spring … Murray-Winstead was in her first full season as the Saints’ coach. She took over last season in March on an interim basis.
