Campus News

Texas-Tyler 3, Linfield 2 (10 innings)

MARSHALL, Texas (5/8/09) -- Roo Richardson blasted an opposite-field walk-off home run Friday to lead Texas-Tyler to a 3-2, 10-inning win over top-seeded Linfield at the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championship First-Round Tournament at East Texas Baptist University.

Richardson's blast off Linfield ace Brittany Miller allowed the Patriots (35-8) to advance to Saturday's winners bracket final against host and American Southwest Conference rival East Texas Baptist at noon.

Friday's marathon game ended when Richardson hammered a 2-2 pitch from Miller (14-3) over wall in right. It was just the second hit allowed by Miller in six innings of relief work, with the other being a bloop single by Amanda Busby.

But the blast made a winner of Kelsey Ainsworth (15-5), who matched Miller and tossed 4 1/3 innings of two-hit shutout ball.

Ashley Klores and Kate Bell delivered RBIs in the fourth inning for UT Tyler, giving the Patriots a 2-0 lead. Linfield (37-5) answered in the sixth on a two-run home run to left-center by Emilee Lepp, setting the stage for the extra-inning drama.

Linfield will advance to face either Louisiana College or La Verne in an elimination game Saturday at 2 p.m.