ARNOLD, MD – The Anne Arundel Community College softball team swept visiting Howard Community College, 9-1 and 7-5, in the first round of the NJCAA Region 20 DII Tournament Sunday afternoon at the AACC Softball Field. The Riverhawks advance to the double-elimination round to face top seed Potomac State on Thursday, May 12, at 2 pm at AACC.
Courtney Croson went 4-for-6 on the day with a double, a three-run home run, five total RBI, and five runs scored. Courtney Maurer drove in three runs on the day, including a two-run home run in game two. She finished the day 4-for-7 with four runs scored.
Pitcher Jaclyn Nevins earned a complete-game win in the opener and picked up the save in game two, striking out eight while allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits on the day. Kaleigh Hurd allowed two runs on three hits in game two, picking up the win with 4.1 innings pitched.
A Howard solo home run in the second briefly gave Howard the lead in the second inning of game one, but AACC responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning and added five in the third thanks in part to a leadoff triple from Ryann Brooks. The Riverhawks cranked out four hits and took advantage of an error in the frame.
AACC added two more in the bottom of the fourth when Croson reached on an error, sending Maurer across and Skylar Storm got Croson across with an RBI groundout.
Nevins got two quick outs in the top of the fifth before Howard threatened with runners on second and third after back-to-back hits. Nevins struck out the final batter to close out the game.
In the second game, AACC led, 4-0, after three innings before the Dragons scored three in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single up the middle.
The Riverhawks responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out, three-run home run from Croson to edge back ahead, 7-3.
AACC forced Howard down in order in the top of the sixth, but the Riverhawks ended the bottom of the inning with two runners on.
A two-out, two-run double by the Dragons in the top of the seventh looked to keep Howard's season alive, but Nevins induced a game-ending fly out to right to send the Riverhawks on to the next round.
AACC (22-13) will face top seed Potomac State on Thursday, May 12, at 2 pm at the AACC Softball Field. The Region 20 DII Tournament runs from May 12-14, at the AACC Softball Field in Arnold, Md.