IMMACULATA, Pa. - The Cabrini University softball team recognized the Class of 2024 and earned two Conference victories from their doubleheader with Immaculata University. In game one, Avery Byrnes reached a major career milestone from the circle as Kaitlyn Delaney and Kelsey Huling delivered home runs to push the Cavaliers past the Mighty Macs. In the second matchup, Cabrini overcame an early 7-run deficit, ending the game with 11 unanswered runs. Softball returns to action on Tuesday, as the Cavs take on Penn State Brandywine for a non-conference doubleheader.

Game One (7 Inn.)
Score: Cabrini 8, Immaculata 2
Records: Cabrini 6-10 (3-4 AEC), Immaculata 10-13 (2-7 AEC)
Hits: Cabrini 12, Immaculata 3
Errors: Cabrini 0,  Immaculata 1
WP: Avery Byrnes (6-3)  LP:  E. Mercadant (4-6)

Cabrini Leaders
At the Plate

• Kaitlyn Delaney 2-3 (2 HR, 4 RBI, BB)
• Kelsey Huling 3-4 (HR, 2 RBI)
• Ariana Mirenda 2-3 (2 R, BB, SB)
• Madison Gugel 2-3 (R, RBI, SB)

In the Field

• Kaitlyn Delaney 11 putouts
• Kelsey Huling 2 putouts, 1 assist
• Sam Taddei 2 putouts

In the Circle

• Avery Byrnes 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 11 K

How it Happened

• Entering the day, Avery Byrnes sat 3 punchouts shy of 500 career strikeouts. Byrnes fanned the first two batters of the game, and picked up the milestone on the second out of the second inning. 
• Run support came for the Cavs in the bottom of the third.  Ariana Mirenda walked and stole second to begin the frame. Madison Gugel sac bunted her to third, before Kelsey Huling homered to score herself and Mirenda. Avery Byrnes kept the momentum going with a single, followed by another 2-run homer, this time from Kaitlyn Delaney.
• Byrnes, now armed with a 4-0 lead, handled the first four innings without struggle.  She left no more than one runner on base in any of the first four frames.
• Cabrini added to their advantage in the fourth. Dorian Ilyes walked before Sam Taddei bunted her to second base. Ariana Mirenda singled up the middle, later scoring Ilyes on an overthrow. Madison Gugel then brought Mirenda home with a single to right.
• Immaculata got on the board in the fifth, using an extra base hit to score a baserunner from first.
• Kaitlyn Delaney had a homerun over the center field wall, giving the Cavs a 7-1 lead in the top of the fifth.
• In the sixth, the Mighty Macs answered with a solo homerun of their own.
• Later in the inning, Cabrini added their eighth run. Mirenda and Gugel began with singles through the left side, before Huling loaded the bases on a single to right. Kaitlyn Delaney walked in the final run of the contest.
• Avery Byrnes completed the seventh inning, striking out two more in the final frame. She punched out 11 total batters in the game, bringing her career strikeout tally to 508.

Game Two (7 Inn.)
Score: Cabrini 11, Immaculata 7
Records: Cabrini 7-10 (4-4 AEC), Immaculata 10-14 (2-8 AEC)
Hits: Cabrini 13, Immaculata 11
Errors: Cabrini 0,  Immaculata 1
WP: Dorian Ilyes (1-6)  LP:  C. Gable (3-5)
 
Cabrini Leaders
At the Plate

• Kaitlyn Delaney 2-3 (HR, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI)
• Madison Gugel 2-3 (2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB)
• Sam Kilson 2-4 (2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI)
• Brooke Protesto 2-3 (2B, R, 2 RBI)

In the Field

• Dorian Ilyes 1 putout, 3 assists
• Madison Gugel 1 putout, 3 assists
• Avery Byrnes 7 putouts

In the Circle

• Dorian Ilyes 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K

How it Happened

• After a stellar opening game, Avery Byrnes returned to the circle for game 2. Immaculata would have her number in the second start, jumping out to 7 runs through the top half of the second inning. 
• Trailing 7-0, Cabrini quickly got back into contention with a 5-run second inning. In the frame, Sam Kilson doubled to the gap, scoring one. Dorian Ilyes followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Emma Barbera from third. Brooke Protesto added an RBI single, delivering the Cavs' third run. Ariana Mirenda and Madison Gugel then hit back to back doubles, tightening the score to 7-5.
• Cabrini took the lead in the bottom of the third. A bunt hit from Byrnes and a double from Delaney put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Emma Barbera grounded to short, but scored Byrnes and moved Delaney to third. Doubles from Kilson and Protesto drove in one more run apiece, as Cabrini claimed an 8-7 edge.
• In the fourth, Gugel and Huling walked to lead off the inning. Kaitlyn Delaney then collected her third home run of the day, a 3-run shot to left, as Cabrini took an 11-7 lead.
• Dorian Ilyes, in relief for Byrnes, pitched a string of clean innings. Ilyes forced a double play to end the third in three batters. In the fourth, Ilyes drew a foul pop out and two flyouts to Sam Taddei in left field. Dori then made three consecutive 1-3 putouts to retire the fifth in order. Ilyes got through the sixth and seventh with soft contact only, earning the winning decision after pitching 5 and ⅔ scoreless innings.

On Deck
Cabrini plays Penn State Brandywine in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 16th. Game times are scheduled for 3pm/5pm.