HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Gators played a pair of competitive games in the 2021 season finale. Centenary had a possible playoff spot on the line so you were going to get their very best effort. The Gators played tough, the seniors contributed, but they would end the season losing both ends of the doubleheader, 8-0, and 9-3.

Game 1
It looked like we would be in for a pitchers duel for most of game one between the Gators, Maci Lopez, and the Cyclones, Roxana Gonzalez. Lopez allowed two runs in the first inning, but held Centenary hitless in the second and third inning. Gator hitters had three hits in early going, loaded the bases, but couldn't push anyone across.

Centenary would add to their 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with three unearned runs. Gonzalez helped herself with a pinch hit double. The next batter dropped a bunt, and Miranda Burton's throw went up the right field line allowing the runner to come all the way home advancing three bases on the error. After four, the Cyclones led 5-0, while Lopez had only allowed two earned runs on four hits.

The Gators went down in order in visiting half of the fifth. Lopez would give way to Jodie Bronushas who came on to pitch to start the bottom of the fifth. For Lopez, the two earned in four innings was her best start to date. It was her fourth career start, and fifth career appearance on the mound.

For Bronushas, it was her second appearance since 2019. She was rusty against Wilson earlier in the week. Command looked like it still hadn't returned after the long absence, issuing three walks. The Gators escaped the fifth with an inning ending double play and allowing just one Cyclone score. 6-0 heading to the sixth.

The Gators didn't get anything going on offense, and more self-inflicted errors led to the two more runs, unearned, that Centenary needed to reach the eight run lead mark, and secure the win in six innings.

Of the Cyclones eight runs, two were earned. They were patient and drew eight walks while not striking out once in taking game one, 8-0.

Game 2
Jessie Leatherwood took the ball for game two, the final game on the season for the Gators squad. The lefty's first inning was a microcosm of her season in the pitcher's circle. Flashes of dominance as she's been a strikeout machine. She averages well over a strikeout per inning, and punched out two in the opening frame here. Simultaneously though, she's been hittable at times, allowing a leadoff triple, a couple base hits, victim of a double steal, and quickly in a 3-0 hole after one inning. 

In the top of the second, the Gators ate into the Cylcones lead a bit with a two out rally. Seniors Rena Dyson and Samantha Miguez Tolliver both reached base. Dyson would score on a throwing error that allowed Andreina Franco-Ramos to get on board. That turned the lineup over. Maci Lopez fouled off a number of close pitches, waiting for one to drive. She lined one toward the gap in right center, but in a stroke of bad luck the ball struck Franco-Ramos heading for second base for the third out of the inning. The Gators scored one, but could have been more.

The Cyclones answered back with two more in the second to make it 5-1. The Gators squandered an opportunity to cut into the lead on a controversial double play. With two runners aboard and one out, Jodie Bronushas struck out, but the Cyclones appealed that Miranda Burton took a step toward second with the pitcher in control of the ball on the mound, meaning she had to continue in that direction and not return to first. The umpires got together and determined that was the case, causing the third out and ending the inning.

Leatherwood pitched a clean third and fourth innings to keep the Gators in the game, still trailing 5-1 heading to bat in the fifth. At the plate, the sophomore would drive in Maci Lopez with an RBI base hit, cutting it to 5-2. But after striking out the first two batters of the fifth, the Cyclones hitters rallied and put the game about out of reach at 8-2, and added another run in the sixth.

With her first strikeout of the fifth inning, Leatherwood reached 100 strikeouts on the season, finishing with 102 total in 72 innings pitched. 102 Ks ranks second in the CSAC behind Wilson College's Megan Potter. Leatherwood started 13 of 18 games for Notre Dame of Maryland in 2021, which also ranks second in the conference behind Alyssa Hampton of St. Elizabeth.

The Gators showed some fight in the end, as senior, Jodie Bronushas, picked up a sacrifice fly RBI in her last plate appearance. But the seven run deficit was too much to overcome in the final inning and the Gators close the 2021 season out with a loss, 9-3. But being able to have a season at all was a blessing.

Congratulations Seniors!
Jodie Bronushas, Rena Dyson, and Samantha Miguez-Tolliver are the three seniors on the Gators 2021 softball team.

In 2019, Bronushas pitched no-hitters in back to back days against Valley Forge and Trinity while striking out 23 batters in 10.1 innings of work. She finished 2^nd in the CSAC with 105 strikeouts. At the plate, Bronushas finished 2^nd in the CSAC with a .493 batting average and .761 slugging, on her way to 2019 All-CSAC Second-Team. The Nursing major was also a part of the 2018 CSAC Champion volleyball team as a freshman.

Dyson had a career high three RBI in a game against St. Elizabeth in 2021. In 2019, batted .262 with eight RBI and 11 runs scored, as well as excelling in the classroom as a nursing major to be named to the CSAC 2018-19 All-Academic Team. (3.20 GPA or higher).

Miguez-Tolliver had her best season in 2019 when she batted .288 with nine RBI and 14 runs scored. That season, the centerfielder shined in a game against Trinity picking up three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored. She played soccer in addition to softball, and made the Fall 2020 Dean's List, majoring in History and Secondary Education.

The trio of seniors were part of a team that was on the rise in 2019, and with heightened expectations in 2020, had their season taken away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What could have been, we can only imagine. They bravely returned to the field to do what they love, in spite of the threat of the virus still on every ones mind. That, and what they will accomplish in their chosen fields of study, means more than batting averages and the like.

Best of luck in all your future endeavors.
 
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