While most Emerson seniors were prepping for senior week and graduation, the Emerson softball team celebrated with a split against Wheaton College on May 3, locking in their spot in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference playoffs. 

Emerson opened the game hitting hard, loading the bases in the bottom half of the first inning and stranding all three runners.

In Game 1, Wheaton jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a hard-hit RBI single to left field. 

Sophomore pitcher Caleigh Sheehan bounced back with two strong innings, putting up three of her game total seven strikeouts. 

In the fourth, Wheaton hit an RBI single to second base for a 3-0 lead. 

Despite getting runners on the basepaths every remaining inning, Emerson would strand them all, ending the game in a shutout loss, 4-0.

Following the senior day ceremony between games, the Lions were fired up, fighting for not just their seniors, but to claim a spot in the playoffs. After forcing a three up, three down top of the first, Emerson came out making contact and poking the ball around the diamond. However, only one runner was safe, but that momentum carried on the rest of the game.

After utility Avi Kuperman reached on a fielding error and Sheehan reached on a single, senior outfielder Carly Rosenberger opened the scoring with a rocket two-run RBI single launched into left field.

In the next inning, Kuperman hit into a fielder’s choice, allowing senior outfielder/pitcher Grace Beaulieu to score on a throwing error by Wheaton’s first baseman. In the fourth, the Lions added another notch to the scoreboard on a fielder’s choice RBI single by senior and captain shortstop Sam Zannotti. 

Emerson extended the lead to six behind sophomore Riley Caiazza’s double, who was brought around by Kuperman and an RBI single down the left field line by senior infielder Ally Lacey.

Wheaton scored in the top of the sixth to slightly close the gap, but a double play from left field to second base quickly shut down the inning. Emerson tacked on one more in the bottom of the inning when senior and captain pitcher Jessica Gomez stole home.

Emerson had some defensive struggles in the seventh inning, allowing a two-out grand slam by Wheaton to shrink the Emerson lead, but the Lions still secured the 7-5 win. 

With the wins against Wheaton and Wellesley College the day before, the Lions earned a playoff spot for the first time since 2019, well before this group of seniors walked onto the Emerson campus as freshmen. Head coach Phil McElroy said he was extremely proud of what this group has accomplished this season. 

“In this conference, it’s just so difficult to make the playoffs,” McElroy said. “I’m just so happy for them that they were able to make it. They earned it.”

Heading into the must-win game two, McElroy had full faith in Gomez commanding from the circle.

 “Jess knew how important that [it] was to pitch well because we had to win to make the playoffs,” he added. 

Gomez’s confidence was supported by her team’s strength at the plate in game two.

“Getting that run support was super important. It just gives you a little bit of breathing room,” Gomez said. “It was so close I could taste it.”

With the season concluding after classes, Rosenberger reflected on how important these days with her team are. 

“You’re really just with your team,” Rosenberger said. “Just trying to appreciate all the last minutes and obviously, so excited to not be done because every last second on the field is something I’ll cherish after playing since I was like five years old.” 

Making the playoffs for the first time in the seniors’ four years was a special moment and not to be taken lightly. 

“Today is something we’ve always wanted,” Rosenberger said. “It’s the first time in [our] four years, so, you know, that was an unbelievable feeling at the end running off the field.”

The seniors’ four years of experience, with some big wins in recent years, has all built on top of each other to reach this milestone. Zannotti thought back to one of her favorite moments of her career. 

“I think the best moment was beating Babson my sophomore year,” Zannotti said. “We were the underdog and we fought the whole game, and that was our first big win in my four years.” 

While the entire season did not go as planned, McElroy put it perfectly: “10 wins in the NEWMAC is nothing to sneeze at.”

“I’m really proud of this team,” Zannotti said. “We kind of started off a little rough, but once we hit conference, we knew what we needed to do and [I’m] really happy with how it ended.”