BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University softball team clinched a spot in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament in its first season in the league after Friday's action across the conference. The Pioneers suffered a pair of losses to Canisius, 3-2 and 8-0, in road action today but clinched a postseason spot with Merrimack's losses this afternoon at Niagara. 

The Pios will be the No. 8 seed in their first MAAC Tournament and will play the No. 5 seed on Tuesday, May 6, at 12:30 p.m. Canisius and Rider are tied for fifth in the standings, meaning SHU will have to wait until tomorrow to find out its opponent. 

Team Records:
Sacred Heart (21-26, 11-13 MAAC)
Canisius (25-24, 15-10 MAAC)

Game 1: CAN 3, SHU 2
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 6.2 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 12-14 record)
Olivia Manchester (CAN) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 16-5 record)

Top Performers:
Sam Kowalski – 3-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 triple, 1 double

Of Note:
The Pioneers kicked off the game's scoring in the top of the first inning, with Sam Kowalski leading the way at the plate. The junior, who batted second as SHU's starting pitcher, kicked off the afternoon with a one-out double, scoring two batters later on an error. 

The Golden Griffins evened the score in the bottom of the second on a walk and a triple, but Kowalski would work out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the score at 1-1. 

SHU retook the advantage in the top of the fifth. Canisius worked two quick outs before Elle Leckrone tallied an infield single to short. Kowalski then smacked a triple to right center to bring in the first year to build a 2-1 lead. 

Sacred Heart led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh. A walk and a single were sandwiched between outs before another walk loaded the bases. The Griffs' Ella Johel stepped up to the moment, slamming a ball to right center, where a diving Morgan Teodosio got a glove on the ball, but it wriggled its way loose to allow two to score for the walk-off 3-2 win. 

Kowalski threw all 6.2 innings for SHU in the opener, allowing three earned with seven strikeouts. With seven K's today, the junior is up to a career-high 175 this season and 455 in her stellar career. 

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Game 2: CAN 8, SHU 0 (5 inn.)
Pitchers:
Carah Sweet (SHU) - (L, 1.1 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 4-3 record)
Emily Heath (SHU) - (3.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Liv Herrington (CAN) - (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 2-6 record)

Top Performers:
Elle Leckrone – 2-3
Savannah Moore – 2-3

Of Note:
Game two was all Griffs, as Canisius won 8-0 in five innings. The Golden Griffins scored one run in the first, two in the second and five in the fifth to secure the win.  

SHU finished the nightcap with five hits, with Elle Leckrone and Savannah Moore each tallying two. The Pioneers put two on in both the first and fifth innings, but Canisius worked out of the jam both times to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. 

Carah Sweet started in the circle for Sacred Heart, going 1.1 innings with two earned. Emily Heath threw the final 3.0 frames and allowed four earned. 

Up Next:
Sacred Heart's regular-season finale is slated to start tomorrow at noon at Canisius' Demske Sports Complex.