Staten Island, NY – Senior right-hander Allyshia West (Owen Sound, ON/West Hills Secondary) pitched nine innings for her fifth consecutive complete game to lead the Hawks to a 5-4 victory in extra innings over the Baruch Bearcats to earn the softball program's 12th CUNYAC Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. West was also named the Tournament Most Valuable Player having pitched a total of 38 innings, striking out 24 batters and allowing just six earned runs.

Following a coin toss to determine the home team, the Hawks opened up the top of the first inning with a double by sophomore catcher Jacqueline Frank (Broad Channel, NY/Stella Maris) that brought home freshman short stop Megan McKenna (Rockaway, NY/Midwood) to give Hunter the early lead.

Baruch answered back however with a run in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at one a piece, which it remained for the next four innings. In the top of the fifth inning, Hunter took a 2-1 lead on a double by McKenna.

Leading 2-1 and with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, a slightly high throw to first resulted in the game tying run crossing the plate. One batter later, junior second baseman Catherine Alves (Queens, NY/Francis Lewis) made an incredible, diving catch to get the runner out at first and end the inning.

So for the second time in as many days, the Hawks went to extra innings. Following the international tie-breaker, each team started the inning off with a runner on second base. In the top half of the inning, junior outfielder Jennifer Damroth (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) laid down a sacrifice bunt that allowed McKenna to come home, just beating out the tag at the plate.

However, the Bearcats came right back again in the bottom half of the inning, scoring the runner on second on a single by freshman third baseman Ashley Brandow (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) and eventually made her way to third base. This is when West showed her experience and was able to get out of the inning without the runner advancing to force another inning.

The ninth is where Hunter took control, scoring the runner at second and then McKenna forced an error that brought home Alves to put the Hawks up 5-3. The upset team of the season, Baruch, still did not go down without a fight as they managed to score a run and had bases loaded with two outs, but the Hunter defense came up big once again and were able to silence the Bearcats one last time to take home the championship.

The Hawks will await their destination for the NCAA Tournament which opens play this week.