Postseason begins on Friday for Cardinals in Bethlehem, Pa.

WASHINGTON – On Friday, the 2011 postseason gets underway for the CUA softball team when the Cardinals head to the Lehigh Valley for the Landmark Conference Tournament.  Seeded third, CUA will take on No. 2 Susquehanna in the day’s second game beginning at 1 p.m.  Top-seed and host Moravian will take on No. 4 Scranton at 11 a.m. in the tournament opener.

This will be CUA’s third Landmark Conference Tournament appearance and first since 2009.  The Cardinals are 2-4 all-time in the tournament, having advanced to the championship round in 2008.

The Cardinals enter this weekend with a record of 20-15, their second consecutive 20-win season.  CUA is hitting .295 as a team and features some of the top offensive performers in the entire Landmark Conference.

Junior Taylor Stockinger has put up impressive power numbers all season long.  She ranks in the top-five of the conference in hits, runs, runs batted in, doubles, home runs, and total bases, and leads the Landmark in runs and home runs.

Classmate Megan Rizzi has been just as dominant at the dish, ranking in the top-five in hits, runs, runs batted in, doubles, and total bases, while leading the conference in doubles.

Stockinger (.376) and Rizzi (.412) are two of four Cardinals batting over .300, along with senior Kristen Trancynger (.304) and freshman Erin McMakin (.304).

McMakin has also had a strong first season in the circle for the Cardinals, going 9-5 with a team-best 2.35 ERA, as well as 57 strikeouts in 86.1 innings of work.  McMakin tossed a no-hitter vs. Hood College on April 10 and has started 14 games this season.

Along with McMakin, CUA will lean heavily on Kerri Apicella, who is 10-9 with a 2.93 earned run average and a team-best 93 Ks in 114.2 innings of work.  She has started 18 games, thrown 15 complete games and shut one team out.

CUA’s first round opponent Susquehanna is 28-10 overall on the year and posted a 9-3 mark within the conference.  Top-seeded Moravian is 32-6 overall and 11-1 vs. Landmark opponents, with the lone loss coming to CUA on April 23.  The fourth team in the tournament, Scranton, is 18-12 overall and 7-5 in the conference.

Check out the official tournament page for more information on this weekend’s games.  

2011 Landmark Conference Softball Tournament Schedule (at Bethlehem, Pa.)
Friday, May 6
Game 1: #1 Moravian vs. #4 Scranton @ 11 a.m.
Game 2: #2 Susquehanna vs. #3 CUA @ 1 p.m.
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 @ 3 p.m.

Saturday, May 7
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 @ 9 a.m.
Game 5: Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3 @ 11 a.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 @ 1 p.m.
Game 7: If necessary if Winner of Game 6 is also the Winner of Game 5 @ 3 p.m.