With home wins on Saturday and help, the Muhlenberg softball and men's lacrosse teams both qualified for the Centennial Conference playoffs. 

The softball team is the second seed and will host third-seeded McDaniel in a first-round game on Tuesday, May 3, at 4:30.

The Mules (19-19, 10-6) made a late push in the regular season to earn their first playoff berth since 2015, winning six of their last seven Centennial games. Muhlenberg ended the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of another playoff contender, Washington College, winning both games by shutout (3-0 and 5-0).

Pitching has been the story for the Mules down the stretch. They allowed only six runs in their final six regular-season games.

Muhlenberg split its regular-season doubleheader at McDaniel on April 2, falling 2-0 in the opener before winning the nightcap, 8-5 in 10 innings. 

Top-seeded Swarthmore hosts fourth-seeded Gettysburg in the other first-round game on Tuesday. The remainder of the double-elimination tournament will take place at Swarthmore on Friday and Saturday.

The winner of the tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Muhlenberg has won five CC championships, tied for second behind McDaniel's seven for the most in league history, and is seeking its first title since 2011.

Men's lacrosse is the third seed in the Centennial tournament and will travel to second-seeded Gettysburg for a semifinal game on Wednesday, May 4, at 4:00.

Muhlenberg (9-5, 5-3) finished in a three-way tie for third place in the CC with Ursinus and Franklin & Marshall, earning the third seed on a tiebreaker. Ursinus is the fourth seed and will travel to undefeated Dickinson on Wednesday in the other semifinal, with the winners meeting in the championship game on Saturday at the higher remaining seed.

The Mules clinched not only a playoff berth with their 17-4 win against McDaniel in the regular-season finale, but they also clinched the CC lead for fewest goals allowed. In eight CC games, Muhlenberg let in 62 goals - one fewer than Gettysburg.

The teams' first meeeting this year was appropriate for the two teams with the stingiest defenses. In the next-to-last game of the regular season, Gettysburg won 5-3, shutting out Muhlenberg in the second half.

Both teams are regionally ranked by the NCAA, Gettysburg fifth and Muhlenberg 10th. The Bullets are ranked 18th in the national Division III poll, while the Mules have been receiving votes all season.

The CC playoff berth is just the second for the Mules. In 2008, they lost a semifinal game at Gettysburg, 13-3.