Catawba Knocks Out Lincoln Memorial From Food Lion SAC Softball Tournament
NEWBERRY, S.C. - The sixth-seeded Catawba College softball team used a seventh inning comeback to eliminate fourth-seeded Lincoln Memorial University, 3-2, in the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Friday.
Catawba (26-24) was shutout for the first six innings of the game in large part to stellar catches at the fence by the LMU outfield. Lincoln Memorial (32-16) forced the Lady Indians to strand 10 runners on base in the game, including three when Alicia MacIntyre made an astounding catch while crashing through the left field fence, robbing Allie Marshall of a grand slam in the fifth.
LMU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs with two outs. Conference Player of the Year Sara Henn drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alisa Burk drew a walk and both runners were driven in on a single by catcher Devin Sponseller.
Catawba got on the board in the top of the seventh. Cassie Markham reached with a one-out single and reached third on a Kathryn Geouge double. Jacqueline White grounded out to plate Markham. Marshall drew a walk and Ryan Baker's single to left center plated Geouge to tie the game at 2-all.
Sarah Van Buskirk hit a bloop single to right field to plate Marshall and give Catawba the 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, LMU led off with a single from Ashley Knight, who made it to third with two outs. Jackie Adams came to the plate and was called out on a close call at first base to end the game and the Lady Railsplitters' season.
Catawba will play the winner of this afternoon's game between Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill. The game is scheduled for 11:45 a.m., but may be rescheduled due to weather concerns. Stay tuned to www.NewberryIndians.com for the latest information.
Catawba 3, Lincoln Memorial 2
Apr 18, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.
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Catawba............. 000 000 3 - 3 9 3 (26-24)
Lincoln Memorial.... 200 000 0 - 2 3 3 (32-16)
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Pitchers: Catawba - M.Cobb. Lincoln Memorial - J. Locker; A.
Wampler(7).
Win-M.Cobb Loss-A. Wampler T-1:35 A-215
Wingate 4, Lenoir-Rhyne 0
NEWBERRY, S.C. - Wingate University freshman right-hander Brittany Blankenship (Midlothian, Va.) tossed a three-hit shutout as the number three seed Bulldogs defeated number two seed and 13th ranked Lenoir-Rhyne College 4-0 in the second round of the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference softball tournament Friday at the Newberry College Softball Complex. Wingate improves to 31-15 overall, while Lenoir-Rhyne falls to 42-11 overall.
Bulldog junior third baseman Hallie Pettigrew (Uniontown, Ohio) was two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Senior first baseman Courtney Wagner (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) was two-for-four with a double and an RBI. Sophomore outfielder Leyila Myers (Marietta, Ga.) was one-for-three with a home run for the victorious Bulldogs. Bear sophomore outfielder Brittany Cherry (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) was one-for-three with a double to lead the Lenoir-Rhyne offense.
Wingate got on the board in the first inning, with Pettigrew reaching on an infield single. She advanced to second on an error and scored on an RBI double from Wagner. The Bulldogs struck again in the third, when sophomore center fielder LaRonda McClain (Kings Mountain, N.C.) led off with a walk and stole second. McClain scored on an RBI single from junior catcher Jamie Millen (Monroe, N.C.).
Wingate added another run in the fourth, when Myers led off the inning with a solo home run (her fourth homer of the year), making the score 3-0 Bulldogs.
The Bears threatened in the fifth inning, with sophomore infielder Lauren Johnson (Chesterfield, Va.) and freshman infielder Chelsea Elmore (Belmont, N.C.) reaching on consecutive Wingate errors, putting runners on first and second with one out. Blankenship induced a pop-out, then struck out Cherry to end the inning.
Wingate added another insurance run in the sixth inning. Freshman second baseman Gina Ager (Columbia, Md.) was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Bulldog junior left fielder Heather Winchester (Waxhaw, N.C.) followed with a single. A sacrifice bunt from McClain moved the runners to second and third, respectively. Pettigrew contributed an RBI single to plate Ager, giving the Bulldogs a four run lead.
With the complete game victory, Blankenship improved her overall record to 20-9. She has 13 shutouts this season and five in her last six games. She collected eight strikeouts on the day without walking a batter. L-R senior right-hander Meredith O'Connor (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss for the Bears, falling to 30-8 overall on the year. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits while striking out 10 in seven innings of work.
Wingate 4, Lenoir-Rhyne 0 (Apr 18, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.)
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Wingate............. 101 101 0 - 4 9 2 (31-15)
Lenoir-Rhyne........ 000 000 0 - 0 3 2 (42-11)
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Pitchers: Wingate - Blankenship. Lenoir-Rhyne - M. O'Connor.
Win-Blankenship(20-9) Loss-M. O'Connor(30-8) T-1:45 A-297
HR WU - Leyila Myers.
Carson-Newman 5, Lincoln Memorial 4
NEWBERRY, S.C. - The top-seeded Carson-Newman College Lady Eagles held off a late charge from the fourth-seeded Lincoln Memorial University Lady Railsplitters, advancing to the semifinals of the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament with a 5-4 victory.
Carson-Newman (46-6) started the game on a tear, after Jesse Howard led off with a bunt single. Whitney Hickam drove Howard in with a ground-rule double and Mandy Stevens gave the Lady Eagles a 3-0 lead with her 11th homerun of the year.
The Lady Eagles pushed the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the second on an RBI triple from Howard and a run-scoring bunt single from Jessie Kuhlman.
But Lincoln Memorial (32-15) would not go away without a fight. Alisa Burk led off the top of the fourth, reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop. A pair of singles from Devin Sponseller and Ashley Knight loaded the bases, and Mira McPeek's fielder's choice gave the Lady Railsplitters their first run.
SAC Player of the Year Sara Henn brought LMU to within two runs in the top of the fifth with a two-run double to left-center, and Jackie Adams' single in the top of the sixth sent pinch runner Alana Brandehoff towards home, and a fielding error by the catcher narrowed the deficit to one run.
But Carson-Newman's Zoe Heim (28-5) sat down the middle of the LMU lineup in the top of the seventh to send the Lady Eagles to the semifinals. Heim allowed four runs - two earned - on eight hits in seven innings, striking out eight. LMU's Jessica Locker (12-4) picks up the loss, striking out four while allowing five earned runs on eight hits in six innings.
Carson-Newman faces off against third-seeded Wingate at 2 p.m. tomorrow, while LMU faces Catawba immediately in the consolation bracket.
Carson-Newman 5, Lincoln Memorial 4
Apr 18, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.
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Lincoln Memorial.... 000 121 0 - 4 8 0 (32-15)
Carson-Newman....... 320 000 X - 5 8 3 (46-6)
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Pitchers: Lincoln Memorial - J. Locker. Carson-Newman - Heim.
Win-Heim(28-5) Loss-J. Locker(12-4) T-1:43 A-307
HR C-N - Stevens.
Mars Hill 6, Tusculum 0
NEWBERRY, S.C. - Tara West threw a complete game two-hitter as Mars Hill College shutout Tusculum College 6-0 in the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Championships Friday morning.
West struck out six Pioneers' batter on the way to her 11th win this season.
Mars Hill got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the third as Ashley Angell hit an RBI single to drive in Tiara Mitchell and make the score 1-0.
The Lions extended their lead in the next inning with an Ashley Seawell single followed by an Ashley Harbor RBI double to left center to make the score 2-0.
Mars Hill continued to add to its lead in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single by First Team All-South Atlantic Conference member and Freshman of the Year, Natalie Haithcox.
In the bottom of the sixth the Lions put the final nail in the Pioneers coffin with a three-run inning to make the score 6-0. Harber led off the inning with a double to center field, after Jenny Hoyt and Lindsey Barrier both got out, Mitchell doubled up the middle to pick up an RBI. Rebekah Huff then singled to left field and stole second before Angell reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, which scored Huff and Mitchell
A Kristina Osborn single through the left side put runners on first and second but Haithcox grounded out to end the threat.
In the top of the seventh, West picked up three quick outs with a strike out and fly out and a groundout to secure her fourth complete game of the season.
Megan DuBois was charged with the loss for the Pioneers after giving up six runs on 12 hits in six innings of work.
Makenzie Loy picked up both hits for Tusculum as the Pioneers finished their season with a 19-24 record.
Mars Hill now advances to play No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne later today in the second round of the consolation bracket. In their doubleheader earlier this season, The Bears swept the Lions, picking up a 5-2 win in Game One and a 6-4 win in Game Two. First Pitch is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.
Mars Hill 6, Tusculum 0 (Apr 18, 2008 at Newberry S.C.) (Game
6)
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Tusculum............ 000 000 0 - 0 2 3
Mars Hill........... 001 113 X - 6 12 0
------------------------------------------------------------
Win-Tara West (11-5) Loss- Megan DuBois (8-7)
T-1:20
Catawba 7, Newberry 5
NEWBERRY, S.C. - Newberry College's comeback effort fell short as the Lady Indians lost to Catawba College, 7-5, in the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Softball Championships Friday morning.
Newberry scored three runs in the final two innings but could not overcome the 7-2 deficit.
The Lady Indians got on the board first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) hit a single up the middle and Ashley Marine (Peachtree City, Ga.) walked before Chelsie Hilbourn (Loris, S.C.) hit a hard double into the left-center gap to score two runs.
Cataba did not let the lead last long though as the Catawba Indians scored five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-2 lead. After Newberry picked up two quick outs, Catawba put together a five-run rally with the help of three Newberry errors.
Jessie Whitesides walked and Callie Gordy singled to right center, putting two runners on for leadoff hitter Cassie Markham. Markham connected for a single to left center and advanced to second on a fielding error by Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) Both Whitesides and Gordy scored to tie the game at 2-2.
Kathryn Geouge followed the Markham single with a walk before Jacqueline White singled to right field and advanced to second on a fielding error by Jarrell. Markham scored on the play and both Geouge and White soon followed as Kat Hammond threw the ball into the dugout at the end of the play for a two-base error.
In the bottom of the fourth the Catawba Indians added to their lead as Markham singled up the middle and Geouge walked before Allie Marshall drove them both in with an RBI double.
Down 7-2, the Lady Indians began to show some life in the top of the sixth inning. Richelle Mirabal (Tampa, Fla.) singled and McKenzie Phillips (Wallace, N.C.) reached on an error by the third baseman giving Newberry two runners on with two outs. Chelsea Chipoletti (Brooksville, Fla.) then hit an RBI single to score Mirabal and Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.) followed with an RBI single herself to score Phillips.
Sara Powell then came to the plate as the tying run, but the First Team All-South Atlantic Conference member could not continue the rally as she grounded out to the pitcher.
Hammond started the seventh inning off with a bang as the junior hit her ninth homerun of the year deep over the left field fence. The homerun pulled Newberry to within 7-5.
That was as close as the Lady Indians would get though as Hilbourn popped up and Mirabal lined into a double play to end the game.
Meghan Cobb got the win for the Catawba Indians as the freshman went the distance and allowed just three earned runs.
Hicks fell to 7-7 on the year as the sophomore was charged with the loss. Hicks went the full seven innings and struck out five, but she was unable to overcome the three Newberry errors.
Catawba will now advance to face No. 4 Lincoln Memorial University in the second round of the consolation bracket at 2 p.m. today. The Catawba Indians split with LMU just eight days ago, losing Game One by a score of 5-2 before winning Game Two, 16-11.
Catawba 7, Newberry 5 (Apr 18, 2008 at Newberry S.C.) (Game
5)
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Newberry............ 200 002 1 - 5 8 3
Catawba............. 050 200 X - 7 8 2
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Win-Meghan Cobb (15-14) Loss- Kristen Hicks (7-7)
HR: New: Kat Hammond (9)
T-1:43