SCRANTON, PA – The Cabrini softball team kept its championship hopes alive with today's 13-1 win over host and top seed Marywood in the first game of the 2017 Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament, Championship Round.

With today's win, the Cavaliers (19-21) remain in the winner's bracket of the double elimination tournament and will face number two seed Neumann (26-13) on Saturday at 2pm.  The Knights scored a 2-1 win over number three seed Immaculata in today's other game.

Marywood (19-15) and Immaculata (23-15) will meet on Saturday at noon, with the loser eliminated from the tournament.

The Blue and White wasted no time grabbing an early lead, as junior Chrissy Ferraro tripled to lead open the game and scored on a Marywood error.  Senior Taylor Mack followed with a single before junior Emily Smull smacked a two-run homer over the center field wall, as her first home run of the season gave Cabrini a 3-0 lead.

The Cavaliers' hot hitting continued in the second, as it plated six runs on seven hits. Cabrini loaded the bases with one out before junior Jess Giordano's RBI single began the scoring rush. Ferraro scored on a wild pitch before seniors Lindsay Savar, Taylor Gallagher and Amber Dietrich recorded RBI base hits.

The Pacers led off the bottom of the second inning with a home run, but a short inning allowed the Cavaliers to return to the batter's box, where it continued to do damage in the third.

Savar highlighted the third frame, as the senior hit a three run home run to left center field, extending her program record with 13 round trippers this season.  Cabrini added another run, as Dietrich's single plated junior Alexandria Ramos.

Backed by a comfortable lead, Giordano controlled the potent Marywood attack from the pitcher's circle.  The junior improved to 8-8 on the year, as she scattered five hits and struck out four Pacers in her five innings of work.

Savar led the Blue and White offense with a 3-4 day with four RBI and two runs scored. Dietrich added three RBI and was one of six Cavaliers to record two base hits. Smull crossed the plate three times, once more than Ferraro, Giordano, Savar and Ramos.

Kirstie Alvarez went 2-2 with a home run to lead Marywood, but allowed nine earned runs on 10 hits in 1.1 innings in the pitcher's circle.

The Blue and White will face a tough Neumann squad that survived a pitcher's duel today against Immaculata. Freshman Jen Sieminski struck out 10 Mighty Macs and allowed just three hits in the win, while senior Becky Guinto's fifth inning RBI double provided all the offense Sieminski needed.

Cabrini and Neumann are very familiar with each other, as they played their regular season doubleheader on Saturday, with the Knight emerging with 5-3 and 4-3 wins.