B.J. Cofer drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel top-seeded Piedmont College past No. 4 LaGrange College 5-4 to secure a spot in the Championship game at the Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
[ Box Score ]
The Lions (25-13) scored the first four runs of the game including three in the first inning. The Panthers (22-19) rallied with single runs in the third through sixth innings to knot the game. In the decisive seventh inning a pair of singles sandwiched a walk to load the bases for Cofer. The designated player patiently waited for her pitch but it never came as the free pass forced across Megan McClain with the winning run.
Brittany Head (12-5) earned the win, scattering 11 hits while going the distance. Kayla Folds (6-7) took the loss.
Piedmont will face No. 2 Huntingdon College at Noon on Sunday. The Lions will have to win twice to secure the GSAC Championship while the Hawks need just one win.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Piedmont Holds On to Eliminate Maryville
Top-seeded Piedmont College continued to battle its way out of the losers bracket by holding on to eliminate No. 3 Maryville College 2-1 at the Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
[ Box Score ]
Both teams missed opportunities to score runs throughout the games as each pitching staff worked their way out of jams. The two teams combined to leave 19 runners on base.
The bottom of the seventh inning epitomized the entire game. The Scots (14-20) loaded the bases with just one out forcing Piedmont head coach Terry Martin to call in Brittany Head to put out the fire. The freshman standout did just that forcing a ground ball out at the plate before fanning the final batter of the game to earn her first career save.
B.J. Cofer (11-8) earned the win while Sarah Reeder (4-8) took the loss. Cofer also collected a team-best two hits for the Lions (24-14).
Piedmont advanced to face LaGrange College with a berth on Championship Sunday on the line.
[ Box Score ]
Both teams missed opportunities to score runs throughout the games as each pitching staff worked their way out of jams. The two teams combined to leave 19 runners on base.
The bottom of the seventh inning epitomized the entire game. The Scots (14-20) loaded the bases with just one out forcing Piedmont head coach Terry Martin to call in Brittany Head to put out the fire. The freshman standout did just that forcing a ground ball out at the plate before fanning the final batter of the game to earn her first career save.
B.J. Cofer (11-8) earned the win while Sarah Reeder (4-8) took the loss. Cofer also collected a team-best two hits for the Lions (24-14).
Piedmont advanced to face LaGrange College with a berth on Championship Sunday on the line.
No. 2 Huntingdon Moves Within One Win of GSAC Title
Second-seeded Huntingdon College moved within one victory of the conference title after defeating LaGrange College 4-3 in a matchup of the final undefeated teams at the GSAC Championship.
[ Box Score ]
No. 4 LaGrange, fresh off last night's upset of the tournament's top seed, continued its hot play with a pair of runs in the first inning. The Panthers (22-18) utilized a Megan Wing single to right combined with an error to grab the early lead.
The Hawks (26-14) answered in their half of the inning as Holly Ostrander pounded a two-run home run to tie the game. Back-to-back doubles from Brittney Novickis and Jessica Sharker each drove in one run to push the Huntingdon lead out to 4-2 following the bottom of the third inning.
Katie Hein's sacrifice fly scored Katie Ison in the fifth inning to help LaGrange cut the lead in half. However, Huntingdon's Melissa McClure retired the final seven batters she faced to secure the victory.
McClure improved to 14-9 with the victory while LaGrange starter Kristen Woodard's record fell to 5-5 in the loss.
Huntingdon needs just one win to capture its fourth GSAC title and first since 2006. LaGrange falls to the losers bracket and will play the winner of the Piedmont/Maryville game for a spot on Championship Sunday.
[ Box Score ]
No. 4 LaGrange, fresh off last night's upset of the tournament's top seed, continued its hot play with a pair of runs in the first inning. The Panthers (22-18) utilized a Megan Wing single to right combined with an error to grab the early lead.
The Hawks (26-14) answered in their half of the inning as Holly Ostrander pounded a two-run home run to tie the game. Back-to-back doubles from Brittney Novickis and Jessica Sharker each drove in one run to push the Huntingdon lead out to 4-2 following the bottom of the third inning.
Katie Hein's sacrifice fly scored Katie Ison in the fifth inning to help LaGrange cut the lead in half. However, Huntingdon's Melissa McClure retired the final seven batters she faced to secure the victory.
McClure improved to 14-9 with the victory while LaGrange starter Kristen Woodard's record fell to 5-5 in the loss.
Huntingdon needs just one win to capture its fourth GSAC title and first since 2006. LaGrange falls to the losers bracket and will play the winner of the Piedmont/Maryville game for a spot on Championship Sunday.
Maryville Survives Agnes Scott Rally to Advance
Maryville College withstood a furious Agnes Scott College rally in the top of the seventh inning to advance at the 2011 GSAC Softball Championship with a 6-5 victory.
[ Box Score ]
The Scots (14-19) seemed to take control of the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs to push a modest lead out to a five-run advantage. Cleanup hitter Jessica McArthur drove in two runs with a clutch single before Chastity Smith stole home.
Morgan Sheridan sparked the Scotties (8-16) rally after being hit by a pitch and advancing the to second on a wild pitch. With Maryville starter Sarah Reeder rattled, Agnes Scott strung together four straight hits and took advantage of another wild pitch to draw within one-run. After a Kysoo Kerkes single put runners at the corners with two outs, Kerkes would be caught in a run-down between first and second in an unsuccessful attempt to give the tying run an opportunity to score.
Both starting pitchers went the distance with Reeder (9-13) hanging on for the victory while Chelsea Kremer (6-13) took the loss.
ASC was eliminated from the championship. Maryville advances to the 4:30pm game to face top-seeded Piedmont College in the secoond elimination game of the day for both teams.
[ Box Score ]
The Scots (14-19) seemed to take control of the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs to push a modest lead out to a five-run advantage. Cleanup hitter Jessica McArthur drove in two runs with a clutch single before Chastity Smith stole home.
Morgan Sheridan sparked the Scotties (8-16) rally after being hit by a pitch and advancing the to second on a wild pitch. With Maryville starter Sarah Reeder rattled, Agnes Scott strung together four straight hits and took advantage of another wild pitch to draw within one-run. After a Kysoo Kerkes single put runners at the corners with two outs, Kerkes would be caught in a run-down between first and second in an unsuccessful attempt to give the tying run an opportunity to score.
Both starting pitchers went the distance with Reeder (9-13) hanging on for the victory while Chelsea Kremer (6-13) took the loss.
ASC was eliminated from the championship. Maryville advances to the 4:30pm game to face top-seeded Piedmont College in the secoond elimination game of the day for both teams.
Top-Seeded Piedmont Eliminates Host Wesleyan
Top-Seeded Piedmont College nearly batted around twice in the bottom of the first on its way to a 19-0 victory over No. 6 Wesleyan College on day two of the Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
[ Box Score ]
The top of the Lions' (23-13) lineup dominated offensively. Leadoff hitter Megan McClain went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four driven in while Taylor Morgan added three more RBI and a pair of runs scored on her way to a very efficient 2-for-3 day.
Britteny Head and Morgan Studdard combined to hurl a one-hit shutout. Studdard picked up the win after relieving Head in the third inning.
The Pioneers (1-29) were eliminated from the championship while Piedmont advances to face the winner of the Noon contest between Maryville College and Agnes Scott College.
[ Box Score ]
The top of the Lions' (23-13) lineup dominated offensively. Leadoff hitter Megan McClain went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four driven in while Taylor Morgan added three more RBI and a pair of runs scored on her way to a very efficient 2-for-3 day.
Britteny Head and Morgan Studdard combined to hurl a one-hit shutout. Studdard picked up the win after relieving Head in the third inning.
The Pioneers (1-29) were eliminated from the championship while Piedmont advances to face the winner of the Noon contest between Maryville College and Agnes Scott College.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Huntingdon Blanks Maryville to Advance at GSAC Championship
Second-seeded Huntingdon College rode a dominant pitching performance from the duo of Bree Giordano and Melissa McClure to defeat No. 3 Maryville College 2-0 in the Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
[ Box Score ]
Giordano got the starting nod but after retiring the Scots (13-19) in order in the first, ran into trouble in the second inning. A single and two walks loaded the bases leading Head Coach Gynger Williams to make the move to call on McClure and her hurler did not disappoint. McClure fanned the first batter she faced and induced a ground ball out to the next, ending Maryville's best scoring opportunity.
An Aleah Payne sacrifice fly scored Girodana in the fifth inning to put the Hawks on the board. Huntingdon added an insurance run in the sixth with Payne scoring on a double by Holly Ostrander.
McClure (13-9) retired the final seven batters she faced, allowing just one walk in the last three innings. Sarah Reeder (10-12) took the loss for Maryville despite scattering just five hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Huntingdon will face fourth-seeded LaGrange at 2:30pm tomorrow at the Mathews Athletic Complex to move to Championship Sunday and within one victory of the GSAC Tournament title. Maryville will play No. 5 Agnes Scott in an elimination game at Noon.
[ Box Score ]
Giordano got the starting nod but after retiring the Scots (13-19) in order in the first, ran into trouble in the second inning. A single and two walks loaded the bases leading Head Coach Gynger Williams to make the move to call on McClure and her hurler did not disappoint. McClure fanned the first batter she faced and induced a ground ball out to the next, ending Maryville's best scoring opportunity.
An Aleah Payne sacrifice fly scored Girodana in the fifth inning to put the Hawks on the board. Huntingdon added an insurance run in the sixth with Payne scoring on a double by Holly Ostrander.
McClure (13-9) retired the final seven batters she faced, allowing just one walk in the last three innings. Sarah Reeder (10-12) took the loss for Maryville despite scattering just five hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Huntingdon will face fourth-seeded LaGrange at 2:30pm tomorrow at the Mathews Athletic Complex to move to Championship Sunday and within one victory of the GSAC Tournament title. Maryville will play No. 5 Agnes Scott in an elimination game at Noon.
First Upset Complete as No. 4 LaGrange Upends Top-Seeded Piedmont
The first upset of the 2011 GSAC Softball Championship comes at the expense of top-seeded Piedmont as No. 4 LaGrange advances with its second shutout of the day, 3-0.
[ Box Score ]
The Panthers pitching staff is the story of the championship early on. Starter Kristen Woodard scattered five hits over 7.0 innings to earn her second complete game shutout of the season. LaGrange (22-17) has surrendered only nine hits and no runs in a pair of victories on day one.
Three straight LaGrange hits sparked the decisive third inning with clean-up hitter Shanna Brumbelow providing the big hit with a two-run single.
Piedmont (22-17) threatened a couple of different times, but may not have had a better opportunity than in their final at-bat. Megan Kesler and Rebecca Renfroe both collected base hits and advanced to scoring position with two outs before Woddard induced a game-ending ground out to clinch the upset.
B.J. Cofer (10-8) took the loss for the Lions.
LaGrange will await the winner of tonight's nightcap between No. 2 Huntingdon College and No. 3 Maryville College. The winner of that game will advance to Championship Sunday.
[ Box Score ]
The Panthers pitching staff is the story of the championship early on. Starter Kristen Woodard scattered five hits over 7.0 innings to earn her second complete game shutout of the season. LaGrange (22-17) has surrendered only nine hits and no runs in a pair of victories on day one.
Three straight LaGrange hits sparked the decisive third inning with clean-up hitter Shanna Brumbelow providing the big hit with a two-run single.
Piedmont (22-17) threatened a couple of different times, but may not have had a better opportunity than in their final at-bat. Megan Kesler and Rebecca Renfroe both collected base hits and advanced to scoring position with two outs before Woddard induced a game-ending ground out to clinch the upset.
B.J. Cofer (10-8) took the loss for the Lions.
LaGrange will await the winner of tonight's nightcap between No. 2 Huntingdon College and No. 3 Maryville College. The winner of that game will advance to Championship Sunday.
Host Wesleyan Falls to Maryville in GSAC Opening Round Game
A leadoff home run by GSAC Player of the Year Leah Kelly set the tone as Maryville College blanked host Wesleyan College 17-0 in their opening round matchup at the Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
[ Box Score ]
Kelly finished 3-for-4 with four RBI while Ashlan Cosner went 3-for-3 to pace the attack for the Scots (13-18). Belle Thomas, Kayla Lumley and Ashley Jackson each picked up one hit for the Pioneers (1-28).
Jessica McCarter hurled 3.0 innings of scoreless relief to improve to 4-7 on the season while Lumley fell to 0-13 after tossing a complete game.
Maryville moves on to face No. 2 Huntingdon College at 4:30pm today while Wesleyan will face the loser of the Piedmont/LaGrange matchup in an elimination game tomorrow morning.
[ Box Score ]
Kelly finished 3-for-4 with four RBI while Ashlan Cosner went 3-for-3 to pace the attack for the Scots (13-18). Belle Thomas, Kayla Lumley and Ashley Jackson each picked up one hit for the Pioneers (1-28).
Jessica McCarter hurled 3.0 innings of scoreless relief to improve to 4-7 on the season while Lumley fell to 0-13 after tossing a complete game.
Maryville moves on to face No. 2 Huntingdon College at 4:30pm today while Wesleyan will face the loser of the Piedmont/LaGrange matchup in an elimination game tomorrow morning.
No. 4 LaGrange Cruises Past No. 5 Agnes Scott in GSAC Softball Championship Opener
Fourth-seeded LaGrange College scored eight first inning runs on the way to 23-0 victory against No. 5 Agnes Scott in the opening game of the 2011 Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship.
[ Box Score ]
The Panthers (21-17) followed up the impressive first inning with nine more runs in the second to put the game away.
Audrey Fortmann went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs to lead the offensive onslaught. Leadoff hitter Melanie Ennis finished 2-for-3 for the Scotties (9-15). LaGrange's Lacee Landrum improved to 4-3 in the circle after tossing 3.0 innings of relief while Ashley Berger fell to 2-3 for Agnes Scott.
LaGrange advances to face top-seeded Piedmont College at 2:30pm while Agnes Scott falls to the loser's bracket and will play the loser of the 4:30pm matchup between Huntingdon College and the winner of the Maryville College/Wesleayn College opening round game.
[ Box Score ]
The Panthers (21-17) followed up the impressive first inning with nine more runs in the second to put the game away.
Audrey Fortmann went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs to lead the offensive onslaught. Leadoff hitter Melanie Ennis finished 2-for-3 for the Scotties (9-15). LaGrange's Lacee Landrum improved to 4-3 in the circle after tossing 3.0 innings of relief while Ashley Berger fell to 2-3 for Agnes Scott.
LaGrange advances to face top-seeded Piedmont College at 2:30pm while Agnes Scott falls to the loser's bracket and will play the loser of the 4:30pm matchup between Huntingdon College and the winner of the Maryville College/Wesleayn College opening round game.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Seeds Set for 2011 GSAC Softball Championship
The seeds are set for the 2011 GSAC Softball Championship. Piedmont will assume the top position, bringing an 11-1 conference record into the tournament with their only loss coming to second seeded Huntingdon College.
Maryville, LaGrange, Agnes Scott and Wesleyan round out the field. Dates and times for the first round of games are listed below.
Friday, April 29:
Game #1 (10:00am): #4 LaGrange vs. #5 Agnes Scott
Game #2 (12:00pm): #3 Maryville vs. #6 Wesleyan
Game #3 (2:30pm): #1 Piedmont vs. Winner of Game #1
Game #4 (4:30pm): #2 Huntingdon vs. Winner of Game #2
Follow the GSAC Softball Championship on Twitter @gsacsb2011.
Maryville, LaGrange, Agnes Scott and Wesleyan round out the field. Dates and times for the first round of games are listed below.
Friday, April 29:
Game #1 (10:00am): #4 LaGrange vs. #5 Agnes Scott
Game #2 (12:00pm): #3 Maryville vs. #6 Wesleyan
Game #3 (2:30pm): #1 Piedmont vs. Winner of Game #1
Game #4 (4:30pm): #2 Huntingdon vs. Winner of Game #2
Follow the GSAC Softball Championship on Twitter @gsacsb2011.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)