WILKES-BARRE – The seventh-seeded Wilkes University softball squad team is set to face second-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology in a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) quarterfinal series this weekend.  Games one and two are set to be played in Weehawken, N.J. this Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m., with game three back home at the Ralston Athletic Complex if needed this upcoming Sunday.
 
Live video and stats will be available to follow along with and can be found here through the Stevens website. Per Stevens' spectator policy, general admission, walk-ups, or guests from opposing schools will not be admitted. 
 
Live stats for the third game at Ralston, if needed, can be found here through the Wilkes website. 
 
Junior Erin Cabry (York, PA/Central York) led the Colonels in batting average (.361), runs (10), doubles (seven), and hits (22).  Cabry also has a team-leading three steals for the Colonels and the squad's lone triple on the season.  Senior Rachel Pritchard (Wilmington, DE/Concord) has contributed both as a bat and as a pitcher, with the second most hits (19) for the Navy and Gold, the most strikeouts as a pitcher (20), and the most complete games as a pitcher (four). 
 
First year pitcher Hope Mullins (Midland, VA/Liberty) established herself as an important part of the Colonels pitching staff, leading the team with a team-low 2.52 ERA and second on the squad with 18 strikeouts.  Junior Rhia Aurand (Avondale, PA/Avon Grove) pitched a 3.79 ERA, throwing 17 strikeouts and allowing a team-low .273 batting average from her batters.  Senior Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) posted a perfect fielding percentage as a catcher, while Jessie Smith (Millersville, MD/Severna Park) had a team-leading 125 put-outs in the infield.
 
Stevens earned the second seed after finishing MAC Freedom play with a 15-3 record, and finishing with a 16-6 record overall.
 
Samantha Schattin started all 22 games for the Ducks and posted a team-leading .544 batting average.  She also led the team in RBIs (14), doubles (11), runs (24), and hits (37).  Meg Halloran finished with a .528 batting average and was successful in all 13 of her stolen base attempts to lead the Ducks in said category. 
 
Jessie Masur leads the MAC Freedom and the Ducks with a 1.09 earned run average.  She's held her batters to a .171 average, good for second in the Freedom, and struck out 77 batters, also good for second in the Freedom. 
 
The 2021 MAC Freedom Softball Championship began on Saturday, April 24 and will run through the weekend of May 15-16. The MAC Freedom Champion will earn the conference's NCAA Division III Championship automatic qualifier (AQ).
 
Delaware Valley won the 8/9 play-in matchup over FDU-Florham and will play top seed Misericordia in a best of three series in the quarterfinals.  Other quarterfinal series involve #5 Lycoming taking on #4 Kings, and #6 DeSales going up against #3 Arcadia.  All games will be played in a three-game series format, with two games at the higher seed and a third game, if needed, at the lower seed.
 
2021 MAC Freedom Championship t-shirts will only be available via online order through May 17. Championship merchandise features a teal moisture wicking short sleeve t-shirt with the championship logo on the front and all-conference team logos on the back for $18 plus additional shipping fees. To order a t-shirt, click here