Press release

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW softball team claimed its second Coastal Athletic Association Championship in three seasons with an epic seventh-inning comeback over Campbell to prevail 3-1 in the winner-take-all championship game on Saturday afternoon at Boseman Field.

Junior Kara Hammock (17-6) went the distance for the third time in the CAA Tournament and was named the CAA Most Outstanding Player.

Graduate students Mary Sobataka (West Rowan) and Skylar Stockton along with freshman Madison Biddle were named to the All-Tournament team.

The Seahawks (33-21) scored three runs in the top of the seventh after the Camels (37-21-1) went up 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth. UNCW won four games in four days, including a pair of victories over top-seeded Campbell.

UNCW’s late rally capped two Saturday games between the Seahawks and Camels. Campbell won elimination games against Hofstra, Delaware and UNCW on Friday and Saturday to force a winner-take-all contest vs. UNCW.

Hammock and Camel’s Hannah Leierer (5-8) traded scoreless frames until the Camels scored the game’s first run on a Lindsay Lumsden RBI single to make it 1-0 Campbell entering the final inning.

Outfielder Morgan Britt started the seventh with an infield single near the third base line and Sobataka was hit by a pitch one batter later. The Camels then replaced Leierer with CAA Pitcher of the Year Isabella Smith, who bested the Seahawks in the first matchup on Saturday and forced the final game.

Smith walked freshman Allison Corbin on five pitches to load the bases with none out. After Biddle reached fielder’s choice out, junior Lauren Cope bounced a ball to shortstop. The throw home sailed to the backstop and allowed two Seahawks to score with two in scoring position.

Catcher Jentri Meadows (Mooresville) then drove home another run on an RBI groundout back to Smith to give the Seahawks a 3-1 lead.

Hammock then retired the Camels in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the Seahawks into the NCAA Tournament.

The Seahawks will play in the Athens Regional.