May 17, 2009
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
