Softball secures eighth seed in USCAA National Championship tournament

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DUBOIS, Pa. --- For the 13th year in a row, Carlow University softball will compete in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series, May 12-15 in DuBois, Pa.

The Celtics have earned a bid to the tournament every year since 2012, excluding 2020 when the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last season, the Celtics ended their run in the championship tournament with a 9-0 loss to Salem (W. Va.) University after winning three games in a row to claw their way back through the loser's bracket. The No. 8-seed Celtics (17-23) are looking for retribution against No. 1-seed Salem (24-27) in the opening round Monday, May 12 at 6 p.m. The Tigers swept Carlow in a nonconference doubleheader March 27.

The double-elimination tournament takes place at Heindl Field in DuBois, Pa. and features the top eight college/university softball programs in the nation.

Carlow holds several tournament records, including most runs in a game (20) from 2022 versus host school Penn State DuBois. The Celtics also hold the record for most RBIs in a game (17 versus Penn State DuBois in 2022).

The Celtics are batting .298 with 200 runs and a .393 slugging percentage with 12 home runs on the season.

Haley Bicko (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown HS) leads the team with a .390 average and is tied for fourth in the USCAA with 53 hits. McKenna Pierce (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg Area HS) leads Carlow with a .605 slugging percentage, including six home runs, one triple and 10 doubles. Tatum Wiggs (Boron, Calif./Boron HS) leads the Celtics and is tied for sixth in the USCAA with 37 RBI on the season. In the circle, Bicko is 7-9 with a 4.03 ERA through 99 innings.

Pierce and Fran Beighley (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum Senior HS) earned Second Team and Honorable Mention All-American honors last season, respectively.

The Tigers are batting .260 with 214 runs and a .360 slugging percentage with 12 home runs on the year. Last season, the Tigers had to defeat No. 1-seed Penn State Brandywine twice to win the championship. Salem won the first game, 8-7, but Brandywine took home the trophy with a 5-3 victory in the second game.

Brooke Wise is one of three people in the USCAA Championship record books to score 10 runs in the tournament (2024). Kayla Williams holds the tournament record with 15 RBI, four home runs and 28 total bases (2024). Pitcher Kendall Lemley holds the record with seven appearances in the circle in 2024. Lemley leads the USCAA with 15 wins and ranks fourth in the league with a 2.50 ERA.

Follow the Celtics throughout the tournament at the links above, or on the official USCAA Championships website at: https://uscaachampionships.com/sports/sball/index