COLLEGE MAY 7 2008

Remember the Lusitania, sunk on this date in 1915 by German submarine U20, off the Head of Old Kinsale, Ireland, with the loss of 1,198 people – a disaster second only to the sinking of the Titanic.  The sinking of the Lusitania heightened the determination of many in the United States to enter the first World War.

 

TOP 25 SCORES (ESPN/USA Softball poll + plus)

Fresno State vs New Mexico State

Louisiana-Lafayette 8 Western Kentucky 0

Hawaii vs Louisiana Tech

 

 

TOURNAMENT GAME CAPSULES

SPY usually publishes capsules for just the Top 25 and others in contention.  Now that the tournament season has begun, it is more logical to post capsules by tournaments. Scores and Game notes are taken from Ultimate College Softball, Gametracke, SPYmail and NFCA Scoreboard.

 

ATLANTIC 10 TOURNAMENT

Game 1  #4  Fordham 1  #5  Saint Josephs 0

WP-Allison Twarowski  (12-9)  4-Hitter LP-Dani Gonzales  (11-11)

First career complete game for Twarowski.  In the bottom of 6th, Dearborn singled; Pellechio reached on an error; Dearborn scored on Shager single.  St Joseph’s had tying run on 3rd in top of 7th but could not score.  Each team had 4 hits.

 

Game 2  #3  Charlotte 1  #6  Saint Louis 0

WP-Katy Hackett  (15-16)  3-Hitter LP-Stacy Gillette  (6-14)

St Louis stranded six runners.  Charlotte, which had left two runners on in earlier innings, began the bottom of 6th with a walk by Rumbles, a single by Malene, and a single by Williams to load the bases.  The run scored on a single by Smith through the right side.

 

Game 3  L1 #5  Saint Josephs  4  L2  #6  Saint Louis 1

WP-Lauren Cognigni  (6-11) LP-Lorena Floccari  (7-14) Saint Louis Eliminated

They started even, each scoring a run in the 1st, Nicolletti an unearned run for St Louis, Cardone for Saint Joseph's.  Rosenwinkel doubled in a run in the bottom of the 3rd, and Saint Joseph's added two on Rosenwinkel's 2-run home run.  Saint Louis outhit 8-6.

 

MAC TOURNAMENT

Game 1  #5  Western Michigan  4  #4  Miami 2 (10 inn)

WP-Kyla Sullivan  (15-8) LP-Meridith Linch  (14-15)

Sullivan, who has always pitched bigger than her physique, went the route for Western Michigan.  In the 4th, Gelder walked; Westenburg to run.  Jager singled.  The first run scored on Fuller’s rbi fielder’s choice. McBride singled, rbi.  Miami tied the score with two out, bottom 6th.  Popson singled, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a wild pitch.  Billstrom singled, rbi.  Robinson singled, rbi.  In the WMU 10th, Bendewald started on 2nd, ITB, advanced to 3rd on groundouts, then scored on Jager’s 2-run home run.  Miami stranded a runner in bottom 7th.

 

Game 2  #1 Kent State 3 #8 Akron 2 (10) WP-Kylie Reynolds (22-4) LP-Christina Swierz  (18-25)  Jessica Toocheck’s bottom of the 10th RBI single lifted Kent State over Akron 3-2 Wednesday (May 7) in the opening round of the MAC at Firestone Stadium. Kylie Reynolds tossed scoreless innings of relief to earn her 22nd win of the year. With Kim Hamilton on second to start the 10th, Toocheck laced a single through the right side.  The throw from right field beat Hamilton to the plate, but Hamilton’s slide on the back corner of the plate went under the tag.

 

 

Game 3  #7  Ball State 3  #2  Central Michigan  2

WP-Elizabeth Milian  (18-12) LP-Kari Seddon  (10-8)

Ball State's Brittney Jones made a jumping catch at the fence in left field to rob Jill Schulz of a potential game-tying homer in the bottom of the seventh inning on Wednesday as the Cardinals defeated Central Michigan, 3-2, in opening round action of the 2008 Mid-American Conference Tournament.

CMU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with a solo homer by Amy Hudson and a RBI triple by Brittini Merchant.

However, the Cardinals came right back in the top of the fifth with a two-run inning of their own.

A fielding error by CMU in the seventh led to the go-ahead run scoring on an RBI triple to center by Kathryn Wilczynski.

Kari Seddon was a tough luck loser for Chippewas allowing just four hits and one earned run.  She struck out five.

 CMU now plays the loser of the Bowling Green/Ohio game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

 

 

Game 4  #3  Bowling Green  3  #6  Ohio 1

WP-Hayley Wiemer  (14-5) LP-Emily Wethington  (11-11)

Bowling Green scored 3 runs in the 5th, on an rbi single by Delong and a 2-run home run by Vallas.  In the Ohio 6th, Bonner singled, and scored on McKelvey's sac fly.

 

SOUTHERN

Game 1  #5  UNC Greensboro 1  #4  Elon 0

WP-Hannah Angel  (12-13)  4-Hitter LP-Pam DelPizzo  (7-8)  4-Hitter

In the 6th, Greenway singled; Mouse reached on an error; Greenway scored on Ausley’s rbi fielder’s choice.

 

Game 2  #1  Chattanooga  3  #8  Western Carolina 1

WP-Brooke Loudermilk  (14-7) LP-Lauren Ross  (9-19)

Chattanooga rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Western Carolina in the first round of the 2008 Southern Conference Softball Championship at the Patriots Point Athletics Complex. The top-seeded Lady Mocs (36-19) move on to face No. 5 seed UNC Greensboro Thursday at 3:00 p.m. No. 8 seed Western Carolina (19-35) will take on fourth-seeded Elon at 10:00 a.m. Thursday in the first elimination game of the day. Chattanooga second baseman Tiffany Baker went 3-for-3 from the plate, including a game-tying RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the Lady Mocs trailing 1-0, Ashlan Clarkson reached on a bases on balls and came home on Baker’s double to even the score at 1-1. Brittany Eason followed a sacrifice bunt with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Baker. Michelle Fuzzard added an insurance run when she drove home Tara Tembey to give UTC a 3-1 advantage. Sophomore pitcher Brooke Loudermilk struck out 14 batters on the afternoon while surrendering one unearned run and six hits. Her record moved to 14-7 on the year while Lauren Ross took the loss for the Catamounts, falling to 9-18.

 

 

Game 3  #2  Georgia Southern 4  #7  Appalachian State 2

WP-Megen Smith  (13-8) LP-Kayla Richardson  (6-18)

In the Georgia Southern 3rd, Thweatt singled; with two out, Siliga walked; Side knocked a 3-run home run.  Georgia Southern scored a fourth run on Hall’s one-out homer in the 5th. Gaston and Willis scored two unearned runs for Appalachian State in the 7th.

 

Game 4  #3  College of Charleston  6  #6  Furman    5

WP Shannon Howard.  LP Lane Mackey

Kristie Shifflett lifted a two-one pitch over the left field fence in the bottom of the seventh inning to give No. 3 seed College of Charleston a 6-5 win over No. 6 seed Furman in the first round of the 2008 Southern Conference Softball Championship at the Patriots Point Athletics Complex. After Furman took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, the Cougars struck back with three runs in the third. After a pair of Furman miscues allowed the first run to score, Kristi Woodall and Katie Nutaitis each provided RBI doubles to stake Charleston to a two-run advantage. The teams traded single runs in the fourth inning before Furman rallied for a pair in the top of the fifth to even the game at four apiece. The Lady Paladins pieced together three infield hits to go along with a Cougars throwing error to plate two runs. A Nutaitis homer in the bottom half of the fifth gave Charleston a one-run bulge again, but it was short-lived as the Lady Paladins again rallied to even the contest. Stephanie Cushing delivered a two-out RBI single to left field to plate Bethany Ullrich. Shifflett’s game-winner was her fifth home run of the season, and it ended a two-year streak in which the Cougars had lost to Furman in the first round of the SoCon Tournament each season. Shannon Howard came on in relief and earned the win for Charleston despite surrendering seven this and three runs. She improved to 18-11. Lane Mackey pitched a complete game for Furman, taking the loss and falling to 16-25.

 

 

SUN BELT TOURNAMENT

Game 2  #7  Louisiana-Monroe 5  #2  Florida Atlantic 4

WP-Lindsay Rittenhouse  (6-16) LP-Amber Barton  (19-18)

No. 2 seed Florida Atlantic and No. 7 seed Louisiana-Monroe started the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship off with a bang as the Warhawks of Louisiana-Monroe upset the defending Sun Belt Champions 5-4 in game one of the tournament.

 

Florida Atlantic got on the board first when pitcher Amber Barton hit her 14th homerun of the season in the first inning to give the Owls a 1-0 lead.  Then in the bottom of the fifth inning Florida Atlantic extended their lead to three on a single RBI by Melissa Moore and a sacrifice fly by senior Lauren Crandall. 

 

But then Louisiana-Monroe’s freshmen got hot as two Louisiana-Monroe freshmen drove in four runs.  Molly McNeil hit a three- run homer to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning before Brianna Love gave Louisiana-Monroe its first lead of the day with a single straight up the middle that scored senior Calli Baker.

 

Florida Atlantic, refusing to go down without a fight, tied the game back in the bottom of the sixth at four when Jessica Myers scored Blair Bodeniller on a single hit down the left field line.  But Louisiana-Monroe’s Baker preserved the upset for the Warhawks as she lined out to centerfield and allowed Erica Darden to score the game winning run.

 

 

Game 3  #4  Florida International 3  #5  Middle Tennessee 2

WP-Holly Satterfield  (10-8) LP-Lindsey Vander Lugt  (16-21)

Middle Tennessee and Florida International both got off to fast starts with four runs being scored in the first inning.  The Blue Raiders’ Ashley Cline scored on a sacrifice bunt by Martha Davis to give Middle Tennessee the 1-0 lead.  But, in the bottom of the inning Florida International relied on their hot hitting stars as the Golden Panthers scored three runs on three hits. 

 

Desiree Fink got things started for Florida International with a single to left field and scored two plays later on a double to centerfield by senior Monique White to tie the game at one.  Then junior Kim Rodriguez reached on a fielder’s choice and White and Rodriguez crossed home plate on a Jessica Landau single to extend Florida International’s lead to two.

 

In the top of the third, after blasting the ball to center field for a triple, Corrie Abel scored on a single by Justine Cerda to bring Florida International’s lead to one and Lindsey Vander Lugt easily retired the next three Golden Panthers to send the game into the fourth inning with a 3-2 score.  But Florida International’s pitching was solid following the third inning and 3-2 was where the game would end with the Golden Panthers advancing to the second round with a clean 1-0 record.

 

 

Game 1  #3  Troy 4  #6  North Texas 2

WP-Ashlyn Williams  (28-13)  10 K's LP-Kayla Lawson  (9-9)

The bats were quiet for the first two innings for both teams, but in the top of the third North Texas got things going with two runs on two hits and a Troy error.  Junior Sarah Jones started the inning off for North Texas picking up a walk from freshman pitcher Ashlyn Williams.  Three batters later, Katya Muller hit a single to second base that scored Jones and North Texas scored the first runs of the day. 

 

Mariza Martinez helped the Mean Green extend their lead to two on a sacrifice bunt that scored Muller after an uncharacteristic error by Troy’s Williams.

 

The costly errors didn’t stop there and Troy scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth on two errors by the Mean Green.  Leftfielder Lauren Bergstorm missed a fly ball that allowed pinch runner Anna Tew, who was running for Courtney Davis, and Jessica Lyle to score.  Lyle reached base on an error by North Texas’ Muller earlier in the inning.

 

North Texas reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh on yet another fielding error by Troy that allowed Kadie Platt to score on a Heather Bostic single.  But, tournament host Troy refused to lose on its home field and won the game in the bottom of the inning with a Heidi Johnson triple and a sacrifice fly by Tanya McLean that scored Rocky Paige and Johnson.

 

 

Game 4  #1  Louisiana-Lafayette 8  #8  Western Kentucky 0

WP Ashley Brignac  LP Jennifer Kempf

No. 1 seed Louisiana-Lafayette survived its first test of the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championships as the Ragin’ Cajuns defeated No. 8 seed WKU 8-0 in the final game of day one.

 

The Ragin’ Cajuns got going in the second inning on a Gabriele Bridges’ single that scored Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Holly Tankersley from third base.  Then in the fourth inning Louisiana-Lafayette added to their lead scoring three run on two hits. 

 

Tankersley got on base, once again, on a double down the left field line and three batters later scored on a passed ball by WKU pitcher Jennifer Kempf.  Then Bridges hit another single that scored two more runs and the fourth inning ended with a score of 4-0 Louisiana-Lafayette.

 

WKU threatened in the top of the fifth inning but freshman Ashley Brignac proved why she is the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year and helped the Ragin’ Cajuns escape the inning without any damage.

 

Louisiana-Lafayette had another big inning in the bottom of the sixth inning when Melissa Verde and Brooke Broadhead made it 6-0 after Bridges added to her list of hits with a double to drive in the two runs.

 

Then Bridges made her way across the plate on a wild pitch and extended Louisiana-Lafayette’s lead to 7-0.  Finally, Vanessa Soto ended the game with a single to center field to mercy rule WKU and end the game 8-0.

 

Day two of the Sun Belt Conference Softball continues tomorrow with games at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.  The action kicks off with No. 2 seed Florida Atlantic taking on No. 6 seed North Texas. 

 

 

WAC  (game reports from Honolulu)

Game 1  #6  San Jose State 8  #7  Utah State 2

WP-Deanna Mauer  (13-15) LP-Lindsey Benson  (13-22)

no data at 12:28 am

 

Game 2  #2  Fresno State  vs  #5  New Mexico State    4:30 pm

Game 3  #3  Hawai'i  vs  #4  Louisiana Tech   7 pm

 

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