The #3 seeded Corning Community College Red Barons softball (27-10) team hosted #6 seeded Erie CC (16-11) on Tuesday afternoon in a one-game semi-final game with the winner advancing to the NJCAA Region III Finals on Friday.  Corning and Erie split both of their regular season doubleheaders, but on playoff Tuesday, the Red Barons would come away with the big 9-1 win.  

The host Red Barons looked sharp from the first pitch.  Corning scored three runs in the first as Danielle Dille led off the game with a single and was followed by a Sam Hauck walk.  Michele DiNicola smacked an RBI single as did Laura Tryon.  Corning scored again in the 2nd inning thanks to some heads up Dille baserunning and took the 4-0 lead.  Erie threatened in innings 3 and 4 by loading the bases but pitcher Rhilea Chabot threw outs and the defense made some big plays to keep the Kats away from the plate and off the scoreboard.  In the 5th, Erie managed a run but that was all the Red Barons defense would allow.  With a 7-1 lead heading into the 6th innings, Ciera Sprague singled, Danielle Dille doubled and then a Sam Hauck hit plated 2 runs and envoked the 8-run rule to end the game.  Dille finished 3 for 4 with a double, Hauck 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's, Michele DiNicola 2 for 3 with 3 RBI's and Ciera Sprague went 2 for 3.  Chabot scattered 6 hits over 7 innings with one earned run.  

Corning advances to the NJCAA Region III Championship game hosted by Genesee CC (Batavia, NY) this Friday.  They face Monroe CC (21-10) in a best-of-three series with the winner advancing to the NJCAA National Championship in Rochester, Minnesota, May 17-19.  Corning and Monroe split their doubleheader earlier in the season.  Game times on Friday are at 10am and 2pm.  The "if neccesary" game will be played Saturday with the time TBD.