APRIL 30 2008 COLLEGE
to be updated
TOP 25 SCORES (ESPN/USA Softball poll +)
TOP 25 GAME CAPSULES
#5 Michigan 8, Florida State 4 WP Nikki Nemitz LP Teresa Gober
The Wolverines took charge with a 5-run 4th. Wynn singled to start the game and scored for the Seminoles on Ahrberg’s single. UM responded with a run in the bottom half; Giampaolo walked and scored on S. Findlay’s two-out single. Seminoles Wynn and Gilmore drove in runs in the top of 3rd; and again UM responded in the bottom, Bausher singled and scored on S. Findlay’s home run. The Wolverines broke the 3-3 tie in the 4th. Ewing doubled, scored on Giampaolo’s double; Bausher singled; the Findlay sisters each cranked an rbi single; Viefhaus drove in 2 runs with a double to center field. In the 5th, Wynn scored the final FSU run on Buckmon’s double.
#5 Michigan 6 Florida State 2 WP-Jordan Taylor (25-2) 11K LP-Tiffany McDonald (16-10)
After Taylor struck out the side in the top of 2nd, Giampaolo drove in Viefhaus with a run in the bottom half. Giampaolo drove in Ewing with another run in bottom 4th. Rbi’s by Viefhaus and Nemitz in the 5th padded the lead to 4-0. The Seminoles narrowed the gap with 2 runs in the top of 6th; Buckmon scored on a catcher throwing error and Wynn on a wild pitch, 4-2. The Wolverines notched the final margin in the bottom half; Giampaolo racked her third rbi and A. Findlay had an rbi sac fly.
#6 Texas A&M 2, Texas 1. WP Megan Gibson (29-1) 3-hitter LP Meagan Denny 4H (18-7)
Texas held off the powerful Aggies until the bottom of the 4th when Hinshaw jacked a leadoff home run. Gaskin opened the 5th with a Longhorn home run. In the 6th, Hinshaw singled and scored on Morrow's sac fly. TAMU 46-7. Texas 25-20-2
#7 Oklahoma 4 Baylor 0 WP DJ Mathis
Led by freshman Haley Anderson’s four RBIs, the No. 7 Oklahoma softball team blanked Baylor, 4-0, in the first game of the doubleheader in Waco Wednesday night. Game two of the twin bill began at approximately 7:30 p.m. The Sooners improved to 42-11 and 15-2 in the league while Baylor fell to 23-20 and 4-12 in the conference. Junior pitcher D.J. Mathis recorded her 12th shutout as she allowed three hits in seven innings. The lefty improved to 26-5 while striking out four and walking three. The Sooner offense only tallied four hits with Anderson leading the way on a 2-for-3 outing and four RBIs, including a three-RBI triple. Susan Ogden extended her team-best hitting streak to seven straight with a single while Samantha Ricketts added the squad’s only other RBI. OU loaded the bases in the sixth; Ricketts led off with a single up the middle. An out later, Long was hit by a pitch and Trott was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Following a Legendre strikeout, Anderson hammered a bases-clearing triple to center field to push the OU lead to 4-0.
Game Two -- Oklahoma 9, Baylor 4 (12) WP DJ Mathis LP Shaina Brock
The Sooners broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the 12th with a five-run salvo. Flores, the ITB runner on 2nd, scored on Ogden's double. Ricketts and Vandever singled (rbi). The Sooners loaded the bases, lost one runner at home on a fielder's choice, but then drew a bases loaded walk. 5 runs on 5 hits, 3 stranded. Baylor had two on but couldn't come back. In the 1st, Flores doubled and scored on Rickett's single. Baylor tied the game on Reagan's home run bottom of 4th. OU banged out 3 runs in the 5th; Ricketts was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, rbi, and Vandever singled in 2 runs. But, the Bears took 2 back in the 5th. Wesley singled, scored on Daniels' triple, and Daniels scored on an error. Bottom of the 7th, Bears loaded the bases with one out; Weldon scored the tying run on Reagan's two out single.
#9 Fresno State 5, St Mary's 0. WP Morgan Melloh 4H 13K LP Galloway Game one
In the bottom of the 1st, Perkins was hit by a pitch; Gilleland and Cervantez walked. Stiglich reached on an error at short, Perkins scoring. Melloh homered with one out in the 2nd. The Bulldogs added two in the 5th, rbi single by Scheuber and rbi double by Stiglich. Perkins scored on Cervantez single in the 6th. Fresno State 46-8. St Mary's 25-23.
Game two: at midnight, St Mary's was leading 3-0.
#16 LSU 5 Southeastern Louisiana 0. WP Tiffany Garcia. 1-hitter
With the win, the Tigers improved to 39-14
on the season as LSU completed the season sweep of the Lions (27-24) after a 7-0
shutout win earlier this year in Baton Rouge. The win also avenges the Tigers’
loss to Southeastern last season in Hammond, the only loss LSU has suffered to
the Lions in 12 meetings. Garcia earned the complete-game win to improve
to 3-2 on the season. Giving up only a lone single in the sixth inning, the
hurler walked three and struck out five. Only one Southeastern player reached
second in the game and that came on after a sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning.
Rachel Mitchell continued her hot streak at the plate with a 1-for-2
performance and two RBIs. The outfielder extended her hitting streak to
seven-straight games and improved her team-best RBI total to 46.
Jazz Jackson went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while
Jessica Mouse hit her fourth home run of the season.
#13 Houston 2, #17 ULL 0. WP Angel Shamblin 1H 10K LP Donna Bourgeois
Shamblin was so effective in this meeting between the leaders of their respective conferences that the Ragin Cajuns had only three base runners. The Cougars scored in the 3rd on Nordstrom’s leadoff home run. Lott walked and scored on an rbi by Valis in the 6th. Houston 45-7, ULL 39-11.
#17 Louisiana-Lafayette 4 #13 Houston 0. Game Two WP Ashley Brignac. 10K LP Barbie Love
The Ragin' Cajuns improved to 40-11; the Cougars are 45-8. Tight game. Top of 1st, Gaspard walked; Hubbard singled; both scored on an error at 2nd. ULL scored its final runs in the on a 2-run single by Verde.
#20 UMass 9 Boston College 0
WP-Brandice Balschmiter (24-6) No-Hitter 1-HBP 8 K's LP-Allison Gage (16-17)
Junior Pitcher Brandice Balshcmiter threw her fourth no-hitter of the season and freshman Lindsay Maroney and sophomore Sarah Reeves each homered as the 20th-ranked Massachusetts softball team (34-11) dropped Boston College (29-28) 9-0 in non-conference action on Wednesday in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The win was UMass' 24th in a row and the 24th of the season for Balschmiter.
#22 Nevada 9 UNLV 1 (5 inn) WP-Katie Holverson (18-5) 7 K's LP-Hether Slettvet (3-15)
#22 Nevada 10 UNLV 9
The Nevada softball team has been making
history all season long. So it was only fitting that the Wolf Pack closed out
its first-ever undefeated home campaign with the biggest comeback in program
history. Nevada, ranked No. 19 and 22 in the nation, came back from a 9-0
deficit to UNLV to score a 10-9 victory in game two, giving the Wolf Pack a
doubleheader sweep over its in-state rivals. Nevada closed out the home portion
of its schedule with two more wins to give the Pack an 11-0 season at Hixson
Park. Nevada won its ninth-straight game and improved to 37-14 overall on the
year, one win away from tying the program record for victories in a season. UNLV
fell to 23-36-1 overall.
In game one, Nevada got three hits from Noelle Micka and three RBI from Brittany
Puzey in scoring the 9-1 win in five innings. The Pack cranked out 10 hits in
the game and with 12 hits in game two, has hit double digits in hits in six of
the last seven contests. Nevada scored three in the first and three in the
second inning to take a 6-0 lead. After UNLV scored one in the top of the fourth
to make it a 6-1 game, the Pack added two more in the bottom of the fourth and
one in the fifth to secure the win. Puzey homered while Sam Bias and Kelsey
Starr each drove in two runs in the victory. Katie Holverson was brilliant in
the circle, giving up three hits and the one earned run. She struck out seven
and did not walk a batter in improving to 18-5 on the season.
Game two provided the big excitement of the day.
In her first start since tossing a no-hitter against Louisiana Tech, senior
Jordan McPherson struggled a bit in the circle as UNLV jumped out to the early
lead. UNLV scored seven runs off McPherson and two more off Richelle Villescas
in the third inning to go up 9-0. The Pack slowly got back into things in the
fourth inning when Bias homered for sixth time this season, this one a two-run
shot.
After a scoreless fifth inning, Nevada exploded in the sixth inning.
Vanessa Briones led off with a single and Britton Murdock followed with another
single. Bias then singled to load the bases. Starr then lifted a fly ball to
right field that was misplayed, allowing one run to score and opening the
floodgates for the Pack. Kym Silayi followed with a two-run single to make it
9-5. After Danielle Patrick walked to load the bases again, coach Michelle
Gardner inserted Michelle Beach as a pinch-hitter. She delivered with a grand
slam to right center to tie the game at 9.
Nevada put two more runners on and then Murdock delivered an RBI single that
proved to be the game-winner. Holverson came on in the seventh inning to pitch a
scoreless frame for her program-record sixth save of the year. She entered the
day tied for seventh in the nation in saves.
#25 California 1 UC Davis 0 WP Marissa Drewery
The California softball team certainly has the flare for dramatics in the month of April. In their final home game of the season, the 22nd-ranked Golden Bears produced their third walk-off game-winning hit this month after Wednesday's 1-0 triumph over UC Davis at Levine-Fricke Field. It was also the final home game for seniors Julie Meyer, Erika Racklin and Katie Vickers.
Freshman Valerie Arioto supplied the heroics when she drilled a double in the bottom of the seventh with two outs that allowed for Taylor Kelly, who drew a two-out walk, to score all the way from first base. Arioto also was the hero in Cal's 3-2 win over Oregon after planting a one-out double to the left-center field wall to score Meyer from second base in the bottom of the 11th inning on April 11. Sophomore Bernice Masaniai also provided another April shining moment when her walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted Cal to a 1-0 win over No. 7 Stanford on April 20.
With Wednesday's victory, Cal improved to 38-20. Additionally, the Bears have not lost to a non-conference opponent at home since 2000.
Cal is back to conference action this weekend when it travels to Oregon State on Friday, before playing a pair of games in Eugene vs. Oregon on Saturday and Sunday.
Sophomore
Marissa Drewrey was masterful in the circle, earning her 25th win of the
season, allowing just one hit (no walks) with 10 strikeouts. It was the ninth
time this year that Drewrey has registered 10 or more strikeouts in a contest.
In fact Drewrey had a perfect game heading into the seventh inning before Trish
Paine notched an infield single to lead off the stanza.
The Bears have never lost to UC Davis (8-0 all time)
OTHER GAME CAPSULES
#27 DePaul lost to UIC 5-2. WP Clynes. LP Frankewicz
UIC halted No. 20 DePaul’s season-long 11-game winning streak with a 5-2 victory, Wednesday at Flames Field. The Flames improve to 22-28, while the Blue Demons slide to 42-15.UIC jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Melissa Marinacci connected on a one out home run to right center in the second inning. The Flames extended their lead on pitcher Sarah Clynes double to left center in the third frame. Clynes’ double scored Carly Demarco, who took a full count walk. With Clynes on second, DePaul starter Lauren Frankiewicz walked Alicia Abbott and both runners moved on a passed ball and Clynes would score on a wild pitch. Down 3-0 heading into the fourth, Marcy Wilus and Sandy Vojik took back-to-back walks to start the frame. Clynes would retire the next three batters to preserve her no-hitter. The Flames added two more runs in the fifth on Marinacci two-RBI single to left center. Amber Patton stopped Clynes’ no-hitter by laying down a perfect bunt single to begin the sixth. Patton would be out on Wilus’ fielder’s choice and Vojik would take her second walk of the day to put runners on first and second for Becca Hetenaik. Heteniak lined a shot to right field which was caught and Wilus was caught too far off second for the final out of the inning. With a comeback in mind, Jackie Tarulli-Fisher looped single to center to begin the seventh for DePaul. Frankiewicz followed and took a four pitch walk to place runners at first and second for pinch hitter Annie Demas. Demas grounded out to first, but moved both runners into scoring position for pinch hitter Marie Thompson. Thompson roped a two-RBI double down the left line to give the Blue Demons their first two runs of the ballgame. Clynes settled in and got the final two DePaul batters to ground out and pick her 13th win of the season. Clynes (13-15) struck out four and walked five in her complete game performance. Frankiewicz (9-7) picked up the loss and threw three innings before being replaced by Lindsey Dean. Both pitchers gave-up two earned runs, while Frankiewicz scattered three hits and Dean allowed five.
#30 Hofstra 8 St. John's 0
Sophomore first baseman Michele DePasquale hit a three-run homer to extend her school-record hitting streak to 24 games as the Hofstra Softball team captured an 8-0 win over St. John’s on Wednesday afternoon....
A BROADER FOCUS
A great many people in fastpitch softball are focused primarily, some exclusively, on the top teams from the power conferences – SEC, Pac 10, Big 10, Big 12 – with occasional glances at the ACC, MVC, Sun Belt and WAC. We know in our hearts, even if we don’t vote that way on polls or when All Americans are being chosen, and particularly not where national teams are concerned, that very good softball is being played in the so-called small market conferences. Indeed, if one looks, you will see high level enthusiasm in games being played by tail-enders like Coppin State which has lost all 30 games, and you utter a silent “atta girl” when Maine finally won some games. As the season has progressed, SPY makes mental notes about some players who are overlooked when broadband recognition is being given. One of those is a freshman at Penn, who has again made pitcher of the week. Yes, it’s Ivy League, but, when you can pitch 20 wins in any league, and NCAA ranks you 35th in the country re ERA (ahead of pitchers for some top 25 programs), you are very credible in our world.
Penn freshman ace Jessie Lupardus (Birmingham, Ala.) started and won three games during the Quakers’ 5-1 week last week, finishing her season with a 20-8 record, while becoming the first 20-game winner in program history. Lupardus, whose record is by far the best all-time record for any Penn pitcher, earned more victories than any Penn team did from 1974 through 2006. Lupardus pitched three complete games to earn her victories during the week, closing her season with a three-hit shutout of Columbia as the Quakers routed the Lions, 12-0. She added 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in the final game of the season, an 11-4 victory.
Tara Oltman at Creighton and Lisa Sweeney at Lehigh also rank high on national lists and their names emerge in many of the game capsules SPY reviews every week. A great many players will never appear at the College World Series, but they are worthy competitors.
ULTIMATE COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD
UCS conducts an independent national poll; numbers in red
Big 12
Nebraska 5 Kansas 4
WP-Molly Hill
LP-Valerie George
NU-Scored 3 runs with two outs in the bottom of the 6th inning.
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Others
#30 UCF 7 Bethune-Cookman 1
WP-Allison Kime (26-9) 2-Hitter 15 K's
LP-Allison Garcia (15-18)
UMBC 6 Delaware 2
WP-Weigman (12-13)
LP-Samantha Shawn (9-13)
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#22 UMass 9 Boston College 0
WP-Brandice Balschmiter (24-6) No-Hitter 1-HBP 8 K's
LP-Allison Gage (16-17)
Penn State 4 Akron 1
WP-Kimi Wong (2-0)
LP-Christina Swierz (16-22)
#35 Kent State 1 Cleveland State 0
WP-Kylie Reynolds (19-4)
LP-Amanda Macenko (23-11)
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Louisville 4 Eastern Kentucky 2
WP-Kassie Stanfill (10-6)
LP-Stacye Toups (9-6)
#6 Michigan 6 Florida State 2
WP-Jordan Taylor (25-2)
LP-Tiffany McDonald (16-10)
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NFCA SCOREBOARD (late night wrap)
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| Apr 30, 2008 |
Salisbury University McDaniel |
8 0 |
6 Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Salisbury University McDaniel |
14 7 |
Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Central Methodist William Woods |
4 3 |
7 Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
William Woods Central Methodist |
12 4 |
6 Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Rutgers Villanova |
6 1 |
Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Villanova Villanova |
11 4 |
Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Villanova Rutgers |
11 4 |
Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Illinois-Chicago DePaul |
5 2 |
Innings | ||
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Massachusetts Boston College |
9 0 |
No-Hitter | 7 Innings | |
| Apr 30, 2008 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Utica |
|
7 Innings |