Campus News
SOFTBALL: ETBU clips Louisiana College, 1-0, moves into winners bracket final
by David Weaver
MARSHALL, Texas (5/8/09) -- Meghan Fisher's ground-ball single up the middle with two out in the first inning proved to be the difference Friday, as ETBU edged conference rival Louisiana College 1-0 in a thrilling showdown before a packed house at the NCAA Division III Softball Championship First-Round Tournament at Taylor Field.
The victory moves ETBU (39-7) into the winners bracket final Saturday at noon, against the winner of Texas-Tyler and Linfield. Louisiana College (37-8) moved on to an elimination game late Friday against La Verne, which it defeated on the first day of the tournament Thursday.
ETBU's junior right-hander Ayrika Henderson, dominant in the early innings Friday, held off a late LC charge in the last couple of innings to improve to 19-3 on the season. Henderson pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth inning and left the potential tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with a strikeout of Jodi Montagnino to end the game.
LC's McCaslin Carson was equally as dominant, but the Lady Tigers were able to score the only run of the game on Fisher's two-out single in the first that skipped through the infield and allowed Adrienne Meier to slide into home just ahead of the throw from centerfielder Allison Frye.
Carson (15-4) allowed just five hits, walked two and struck out five in the loss, her second 1-0 loss to ETBU at Taylor Field this season.
Carson herself pitched out of big-time trouble in the bottom half of the fifth, when ETBU put runners at the corners with no outs. Meier grounded out to third, and Porsha Harrison couldn't score from third on Fisher's bunt attempt. Carson then got Stacy Jordan on a groundout back to the circle to leave the runners stranded.
The Lady Wildcats tried to take advantage of the momentum in the sixth, getting three straight singles to open the inning from Montagnino, Caitlyn Bankston and Mary Alice Roy.
Ashleigh Clement lifted a medium-deep ball to center, but Harrison nailed Montagnino at home with a high throw to catcher Dani Miller for the second out. Henderson then got a groundout from Carson to end the threat.
LC mounted a final surge in the seventh, with Taylor Trojcak doubling off the wall in left to lead off the inning. Amber Addington entered the game at that point to represent the tying run.
Henderson responded with a strikeout of Aimee Dubroc for the first out. Allison Frye singled sharply up the middle, and Addington held up at third as Harrison got to the ball quickly in center.
Devan Greene came on to pinch hit just before Frye took second, puttin the go-ahead run in scoring position again. Greene fouled out to Fisher at third for the second out, and Henderson got Montagnino swinging on a 1-2 curveball for the final out.
Brooke Martin had two of the five ETBU hits on the day, with Roy and Frye delivering two hits apiece for the Lady Wildcats.
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