No. 11 Salisbury ends season against Gustavus Adolphus in NCAA Championship
MONTCLAIR, N.J. - The No. 11 Salisbury University softball team's season came to an end on Sunday afternoon in the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championship with a 10-4 loss to Gustavus Adolphus College at Montclair State University.
The Sea Gulls (40-7) opened things up in the top of the first inning as Salisbury, the visiting team, scored three runs. Junior designated player Brittany Lounge reached on a single down the left field line off Gustavus starting pitcher Callie Nelson (one inning pitched). Junior catcher Lauren Brenneman hit a double off the left field wall as the Gulls had runners on second and third base with one out. Senior second baseman Stacey Malarkey followed and hit a single to right field just over the GAC second baseman's glove to score Lounge and move Brenneman to third. Junior first baseman Ali Ritter stepped to plate and during her at-bat Malarkey stole second base. Ritter then roped a single to right field to score two runs to give SU the early 3-0 lead.
"I thought we had some really nice hits. We were hitting line-drives instead of the fly balls that we've been hitting all tournament," said SU coach Margie Knight. "I was extremely pleased with how aggressive our batters came out, so it was pretty great."
Salisbury's lead was short lived as Gustavus struck back in the bottom half of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Emily Klein (two runs) reaching on an error by junior shortstop Kelly Waskewicz. The second Gusties hitter Jenny Ewert (two runs) hit an infield single to Waskewicz as Klein was able to make it to third base. Rachel Click (3-for-4, two RBIs) singled up the middle to plate Klein. GAC first baseman Emily Wendorff (3-for-4, two runs, two RBIs) singled to center to make the score 2-0. With runners on second and third, SU freshman starting pitcher Erika Brittingham (1-1) was able force a line out and strike out. Brittingham couldn't get out of the inning as Gustavus leftfielder Kirsten Prunty blasted a three-run home run to give the Gusties a 5-3 lead after one inning of play.
The Gusties would score another run in the bottom of the second inning with two outs as Ewert hit the ball hard to the Ritter as she could not field the ball. Ewert moved up to second on a wild pitch by Brittingham and then scored on a double by Click to center. That ended the day for Brittingham as she allowed six runs (one earned) on five hits, walked none and had one strikeout. Senior pitcher Stacy Davis came in out of the bullpen and pitched the rest of the game.
In the top of the third, SU would put together a strong rally attempt with two outs. Ritter hit a single to left-center field and then advanced to third on freshman Casey Zaino's single to left center. Sophomore third baseman Kristin Lord hit a rocket back up the middle that Gustavus pitcher Betsie Collins (14-3) was able to get a piece of but Lord reached base. Junior centerfielder Jen Cahall drew a walk to load the bases for senior All-American Meghan O'Gara. The Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year hit the ball back to Collins who threw to first to end the inning for the Gulls.
The defensive play of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Gustavus had the bases loaded with two outs. Gustavus second baseman Lisa Klass hit a low line drive to center off Davis but Cahall dove to steal the hit and make the catch to end the inning.
The Gusties would get a few more insurance runs in the bottom of the six. Klein reached on a fielding error by Ritter to open things up. Ewert laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line that Malarkey scooped up and miss threw the ball to Ritter, to give Gustavus runners on second and third base with no outs. Click laid a bunt down the third base line that Lord held onto to in an effort to keep the runners at bay. Wendorff hit a fly ball to center that Cahall dropped which allowed the run to score. Cahall recovered and made a heads up play as she rifled the ball to third to throw out Ewert. With runners on first and second, GAC third baseman Andrea Brown hit a three-run home run to center to give the Gusties the six-run lead, 10-4.
"[Gustavus] had timely hits after our untimely errors (five total). We fielded well all year, but we did not play well defensively at Montclair," said Knight.
Collins was able to get three quick outs in the top of the seventh to end the Sea Gulls' season and advance the Gusties to the Sunday night's elimination game. Salisbury takes sixth place in the national championship.
The 14 runs scored combined between the two teams are the most runs scored in the 2009 Division III Championship as the previous high was six.
The loss marks the final game for Salisbury's three seniors Davis, Malarkey and O'Gara. In four years, the trio has made three NCAA tournament appearances, won four consecutive CAC championships and have a cumulative career record of 144-31 (.823 winning percentage).
"At the beginning of the season, we emphasized that this was our last chance to make it," said O'Gara. "I actually would like to think that the three of us were an integral part of why we made it here. It's extremely nice to be here, but a little disappointing the way it ended. But I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything."
NOTES: Freshman outfielder Casey Zaino was named to the All-Tournament team for the Sea Gulls.
2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championship
