The day began looking like a scene out of Mission Impossible. But in the end, the Roadrunner Softball team rattled off a series of three straight wins to emerge as Region 19 / North Atlantic District champions despite overwhelming odds Monday.
At the conclusion of a tough series at Middlesex College, the No. 1 seed Roadrunners came out of the elimination bracket to defeat No. 3 Northampton CC, 10-0; No. 2 Brookdale CC, 7-5; and the No. 2 Jersey Blues once again in the championship finals, 6-1.
All in one afternoon, nonetheless!!
This scenario was necessary after RCSJ lost a key second round contest to Brookdale, 7-5, Sunday. They found themselves in a position of win or go home, needing three straight wins Monday against top opponents to grab a Region title and earn an automatic berth to the upcoming NJCAA Division III World Series in Syracuse, NY.
No problem as it turned out. Series MVP Emily Childs turned in a gutsy complete-game performance against the Jersey Blues in the first of the championship series as the Runners built an early 4-0 lead and held on for the 7-5 win.
Teammate Bridgett Levandoski then crafted a masterful performance in the finals, hurling 6 1/3 innings and then receiving relief help from Childs to earn the 6-1 win.
The entire series concluded at about 7 pm before the celebration began for the Runners, who went 4-1 overall in the two-day affair. The Region title was the 9th in program history under Coach Steve DePasquale, who is retiring following the 2026 season.
Click to View Region 19 Championship Photos
"It was a total team effort -- the pitching and defense showed up and so did the offense," said Childs. "We feel great about how we're playing right now."
Ditto, said Levandoski, who held the Blues in check by snuffing out 2 or 3 rallies while displaying overall accurate control.
"When I get into tough situations, I usually get mad at myself -- so I decided to just smile instead and focus on the next pitch," said Bridgett. "Our Coach (assistant Bill Collins) stressed to me to forget about past games and focus on what's in front of you."
Also clicking for the Runners was the offense, spurred by key hits from shortstop Angelina Lindner and third baseman Jillian Logeren among others
Lindner, who also turned in a solid defensive effort in the championship final, helped the Runners stay ahead of Brookdale in both wins, slamming a two-run homer and double in the first win followed by a solid all-around effort in the finals.
"I felt good at the plate, and it was nice to help out my team," she said. "We all kept picking each other up, and it made a difference."
The DIII World Series will be held May 20-23 at Carrier Park outside of Syracuse, NY. Seedings will be announced shortly as the Runners hope to perform well under Coach DePasquale, who is retiring after the World Series following 32 years as the program's only head coach.