ACU facing elimination after loss to SEOSU
5/9/2009 7:45:00 PM | Softball
DURANT, Okla. ? Bailey Mathes hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie and No. 7 Southeastern Oklahoma State defeated No. 16 Abilene Christian to stay in the winner's bracket of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats now face elimination and will play the winner of Central Missouri and Missouri Western at 4:30 p.m. The game will determine who moves on to face SEOSU Sunday at 1 p.m., and whichever team does emerge will have to defeat the Savage Storm twice to advance to the super regional championship series.
The Savage Storm led 3-0 through four innings; Marjorie Johnson hit a solo homer in the second inning. Then, in the third with two outs Benita Sanchez scored when Erika Bernal reached on an error by ACU shortstop Melissa Rodriguez to make the score 2-0. Then, in the fourth Laney Anderson, who had only four RBI all season entering the game, drove in a run with a single to extend the lead to 3-0.
However, ACU fought back to load the bases with one out in the top of the fifth inning. SEOSU's starter Jami McAdoo was relieved by Johnson after loading the bases. However, Jackie Gentile doubled to left center field to score two runs and cut the Savage Storm lead to one run. Rodriguez walked to reload the bases, but Nancy Sawyers struck out for the second out. However, Johnson walked Shleby McElvain to drive in a run and tie the score at three, but Katie Cornelison struck out with the bases loaded before the Wildcats could do further damage.
ACU starter Jacque Gregoire worked the count full to Mathes, but the shortstop pounded the ball to left centerfield for her 17th home run of the season and it proved to be the game-winning hit. Mathes also hit a 3-run homer off Gregoire Feb. 14 in Abilene to defeat the Wildcats 3-0 in extra innings.
Gregoire finished with five innings pitched in her second consecutive start. She allowed six hits, four runs (three earned), walked two and struck out one dropping to 22-6 on the year. Kim Patin pitched a scoreless sixth in relief for the Wildcats.
In the top of the seventh, Johnson struck out Sawyers and McElvain to begin the inning, then walked Cornelison, but Nabors struck out to end the game.
Johnson picked up the win to move to 25-5 on the season; she walked six
and struck out all eight outs in her 2.2 innings of relief. McAdoo
pitched 4.1 innings gave up five hits, three runs, walked three and
struck out three.
ACU fell to 43-14 while SEOSU improved to 52-11.
ACU fell to 43-14 while SEOSU improved to 52-11.
Fans can hear the 4:30 p.m. game between ACU and either Central Missouri or Missouri Western locally on KYYW 1470 AM.
