PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (May 17, 2025) – Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference champion Wilmington University was denied a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Softball National Championship when it was defeated by Pace University, 8-0 and 5-1, in Games 2 and 3 of the 2025 D-II East Super Regional on Friday at Pace Softball Field.
Wilmington, the East’s No. 2 seed, was playing in its fourth consecutive super regional, having won the East Region crown in 2023 and 2024. The Wildcats complete the 2025 campaign with a won-lost record of 36-19.
Wilmington entered the day with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, having captured a 1-0, nine-inning victory on Thursday. But the Wildcats garnered only four baserunners during Friday’s first game, which Pace broke open with a third-inning grand slam home run.
After a rain delay of more than an hour, the Setters continued to stymie the Wilmington offense. Pace extended a 1-0 lead with two runs in the fifth inning. The Wildcats, the designated home team, scored in the bottom of the fifth on an Eve Serrato sacrifice fly, but two more Pace runs in the seventh put the game away.
Pace (46-11) is making its first trip to nationals in softball, and will face the University of Central Oklahoma in first-round action on May 22 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.