Another season has gone by, and there has still never been a Centennial Conference softball tournament without Muhlenberg participating.

The Mules overcame an 0-3 conference start to finish 10-6 in league play and make the playoffs for the fourth straight year. They defeated top-seeded Ursinus in their first playoff game to advance to the tournament’s second day and finished third.

Including the playoffs, Muhlenberg was 21-12 for the season, winning 20 games for the

From left to right, Maser, Dischino, DeLucia, Coach Ruth Gibbs, Sarno, Toth and former teammate Amanda Ibey pose on Senior Night. The senior Mules posted an 83-65 record and won two CC titles in their four years, and their names are in the top 10 of almost every career batting, pitching and fielding category of the ’Berg record book.

fourth time in the past six years and winning 10 for the 20th straight season. The team won its first six games (for the first time since 1997) and later took 11 of its final 14 regular-season contests, including eight of its last 10 CC games.

The Mules opened the season by winning four games in Florida, then traveled to LaGrange, Ga., for the prestigious Leadoff Classic. Muhlenberg split six games there – all against teams that wound up receiving bids to the NCAA Tournament.

The Mules were at their best in an 11-day stretch in April. They did not allow a run in a sweep of Swarthmore at Patriots Park, then shut out Washington (Md.) in the first game of a doubleheader and scored 16 runs on 17 hits in the second. They closed the run with a home sweep of eventual CC champion McDaniel.

Senior Danielle DeLucia pitched three straight shutouts and was named CC pitcher of the week, and freshman Nicole Washburn shut out McDaniel to earn the same honor the following week.

Freshman Tina Roth started a five-game winning streak with an extra-inning, three-run homer to break a 2-2 tie in the first game of doubleheader sweep at Messiah. The Mules then swept Haverford and picked up a 9-2 win over Cabrini on Senior Night.

Senior shortstop Becki Toth led the Mules with a .379 batting average and ranks sixth in school history with a .387 career average and second with 149 hits. She and classmate Jackie Maser each earned a spot on the All-CC first team.

Maser led the Mules with 24 RBI. She tied a school record with 13 doubles in 2004, moving her into second place in career two-baggers (32), extra-base hits (43) and total bases (191). Playing third base, she also broke the school records for assists in a season (108) and a career (343).

Centerfielder Nicole Sarno, who was second on the squad in hitting at .361, ranks fourth in school history with 137 hits and fifth with 81 runs. She led the team with 30 runs and four steals and struck out just five times in 119 at-bats. Sarno was named to the All-East Region and All-CC second teams.

DeLucia topped the pitching staff with eight wins. She finished up second in Mule history with a 1.57 ERA and 13 shutouts and third with 41 wins and 271 strikeouts. Her catcher, senior Kate Dischino, wrapped up with a .976 career fielding percentage, the eighth-best in school history.

Sophomore Missy DeFrain played first base and made the All-CC second team after hitting .330 with 18 RBI.