HUNSTVILLE, Ala.—The Barry Buccaneers advanced to Championship Sunday at the NCAA Division II South Region 2 Softball Tournament at Charger Park with a see-saw 10-4 win over the North Alabama Lions on Saturday. The Bucs dropped their first game of the day 1-0 to the host Alabama-Huntsville Chargers, but rebounded to beat the Lions in an elimination game.
Sarah Broeseker homered, doubled and drove in five runs against the Lions, leading Barry back from deficits in the third and fifth innings.
Alexis Yohe (20-8) soldiered through two games on Saturday. She lost the opener to the Chargers (41-15) despite allowing just four hits and one run, but came back in the second day to throw five strong innings and beat the Lions (40-16).
North Alabama took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double from Callie Steadman down the left field line which knocked in Harlie Barkley.
The Bucs answered back in the second inning. Kelly Martinez walked, but was shaken up sliding into second base and Kate Hehre came in to run. After Hehre stole third, Britney Pugh dumped a single into left field to knot the game at 1-1.
The Lions came back with another run the third. Steadman again knocked in Barkley, this time with a single to left center.
Broeseker had the answer in the bottom of the inning. Natalia Ojeda doubled with one out and, after a sacrifice, Broeseker belted her third homer of the season to put Barry back on top 3-2.
In the fifth, it was Steadman’s turn again as she homered to right center, scoring Barkley, to give UNA a 4-3 lead.
Broeseker came back in the bottom of the frame. After Ojeda singled to left center and Megan Copeland followed with a bunt single, Broeseker drove a double into the right center field gap to score both runners and Barry led 5-4. One out later, Martinez dumped a single into right to make it 6-4.
The Bucs put the hammer down in the sixth inning. Paula Mackin ripped a pinch-hit single through the left side with one out and Christal Cruz came in to run. Ashley Fernandez reached on an error by Lions third baseman Nicki Whitten and Ojeda followed with a double to knock in Cruz. Copeland followed with an infield single to make it 8-4. Broeseker drove in Ojeda with a fly ball to left and Julie Brito closed out the scoring with a double down the left field line.
Taylor Sabol came on to shutout the Lions over the last two innings on three hits to earn her team-leading third save. Yohe got the win after working the first five. She gave up four runs on six hits and two walks and struck out four.
Breanna Riley, took the loss in relief of Haley Barnette. Riley, also working her second game of the day, gave up nine runs (six earned) on 11 hits and a walk in 4.2 innings.
In the first game, Megan Billingsley ripped a single to left to score Nicole Bobrowski from second with the only run of the game for the Chargers in the second inning.
The game was delayed for 1:06 in the top of the forth when a flash shower drenched the field.
Yohe took the loss in that one, allowing just the one run on four hits and three walks and struck out four. Whitney Gilbert (14-7) worked five shutout innings, scattering two hits and four walks, while striking out five. Kimberly Jack closed out the last two innings, coming in with runners at first and second after Copeland singled and Broeseker walked against Gilbert. After fielder’s choice by Brito erased Copeland and third and Martinez laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners, Jack got Alexis Kent to ground out to first base to end in the inning. She then set the Bucs down in order in the seventh.
Barry will not face the Chargers again on Sunday at 2:00 pm Eastern, needing a pair of wins to advance to the regional championship series next weekend. Livestats and an audio broadcast will be available on GoBarryBucs.com, through GameCentral powered by Stretch Internet.
(05/11/13 at Huntsville, AL)
Alabama-Huntsville 1, Barry 0
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Barry............................ 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 (33-19)
Alabama-Huntsville.. 010 000 X - 1 4 0 (41-15)
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Pitchers: Barry - Alexis Yohe and Kayla Monroy. Alabama-Huntsville - Whitney Gilbert; Kimberly Jack(6) and Cortney McNett.
Win-Whitney Gilbert(14-7) Save-Kimberly Jack(8) Loss-Alexis Yohe(19-8) T-2:48
Weather: cinereal
Game notes:
1:06 rain delay
Gilbert faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Barry 10, North Alabama 4
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North Alabama....... 101 020 0 - 4 9 2 (40-16)
Barry......................... 012 034 X - 10 11 2 (34-19)
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Pitchers: North Alabama - Haley Barnette; Breanna Riley(2) and Mallory Patterson; Katey Miller. Barry - Alexis Yohe; Taylor Sabol(6) and Kayla Monroy.
Win-Alexis Yohe(20-8) Save-Taylor Sabol(3) Loss-Breanna Riley(19-10) T-2:09 A-486
HR UNA - Callie Steadman (5).
HR BU - Sarah Broeseker (3).