No. 1 Canisius – 4 | No. 3 Siena – 0
Demske Sports Complex | BUFFALO, NY
Box Score
Canisius College claimed the 13
th MAAC Championship in program history behind seven strong innings from the unanimous 2022 MAAC Pitcher of the Year Megan Giese. Giese had not allowed a baserunner through 5.1 innings until Sabrina Vargas single in the top of the sixth broke up her perfect game.
Canisius jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning but the Griffs did the majority of their damage offensively in the fourth inning when they scored three runs on four hits. Tiara Johnson’s double down the right field line scored pinch runner Sam Weber to go up 2-0. The next batter of the inning, Sophia Recrosio singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw to trade places with Johnson. Following a pitching change, Emily Ilano delivered another base knock to score Recrosio.
The final out of the game was a 5-3 putout from Destiny Falquez to Lindsi Dennis before the celebration began for Canisius.
With the win, Canisius claims the MAAC automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Griffs will find out where they are headed in the 2022 NCAA Championships during the selection show tomorrow, Sunday, May 15 at 7 pm on ESPN2.
Canisius Notes and Notables
- Canisius claims their first MAAC title since 2009.
- Giese held the Siena batters in check all game, striking out five batters, allowing three hits and no walks on 114 pitches.
- In the Griffs’ three games during the 2022 MAAC Championships, Giese threw 21 innings, striking out 20 batters and allowed just three runs en route to being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
- Gianna Fazzolari recorded the lone multi-hit performance in the championship game, going 2-3 with an RBI in the win.
- Head Coach Kim Griffin helped lead the Griffs to her first MAAC Championship title in her second appearance in the title game.
- McGee-Ross hit .444 throughout the tournament including the walk-off single in Game 7 to send the Griffs to the championship final.
Siena Notes and Notables
- Siena advanced all the way to the Championship Final from the elimination bracket. The Saints had won four consecutive elimination games over a three-day span to have an opportunity to play for the title.
- Finished the season with an overall record of 32-23 and 14-6 in MAAC play.
- Adriana Romano threw 19.2 innings in the four-day MAAC Championship. She allowed just three runs on 14 total hits. Since Siena’s opening round loss to Iona, she did allow another earned run.
- Mikala Fletcher hit .429 with nine hits, six runs, two RBI, and two stolen bases throughout the championship en route to earning All-Championship Team honors.
- Isabella Pardo hit .500 with 10 hits, scored six runs and did not strikeout once in the six games, also earning All-Championship honors.
| 2022 MAAC Softball All-Championship Team |
| Name |
School |
| Erin Hufford |
Canisius |
| Tiara Johnson |
Canisius |
| Christie McGee-Ross |
Canisius |
| Sophia Recrosio |
Canisius |
| Jamie Sheeran |
Iona |
| Kara Zazzaro |
Iona |
| Alyssa Grupp |
Marist |
| Miah McDonald |
Marist |
| Mikala Fletcher |
Siena |
| Isabella Pardo |
Siena |
| Adriana Romano |
Siena |
| 2022 Most Outstanding Player |
Megan Giese, Canisius |
For all championship information regarding the MAAC Softball Championships, visit
maacsports.com.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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