HOUSTON, Texas – The South Region Champion Barry University softball team (44-7) dropped a 5-4 decision to the South Central Region Champion St. Edward’s Hilltoppers in the opening round of the NCAA Division II softball championship on Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Park. The Buccaneers will fall to the loser’s bracket and will face the loser of game two Francis Marion on Thursday at 11 am EST.
Down by four runs heading into the top of the seventh inning, the Buccaneers rallied with four runs and six hits to tie the game 4-4. Barry’s Holli Davis opened with a one-out single, followed by a single from shortstop Ali Perantoni and an RBI single by Brittany Anderson with both Perantoni and Anderson taking an additional base on the play.
With two runners in scoring position, Shyla Rider drew a one-out walk to load the bases, bringing up Cristina DeTagle who connected on a two-RBI single through the left side, plating two more runs to bring the Buccaneers within one run at 4-3. A two-out single down the left field line by Megan Young created a fourth run in the inning, tying the game after six and a half innings.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Hilltoppers (52-15) first two batters, Lexi Stephens and Mandy Phillips, walked, bringing right fielder Lisa Paul to the plate. Paul connected then connected on an RBI single to give St. Edward’s a 5-4 win, despite the late Buccaneer rally.
St. Edward’s (52-15) got on the board first, plating a run in the bottom of the third inning. SEU’s Jamie Zilverberg led off the inning with a double down the left field line. She was sacrificed to third base by Stacy Giles and scored when Melissa McSheffery hit a chopper to the shortstop, whose off-line fielder’s choice throw to the plate allowed Zilverberg to score and McSheffery to reach safely at first base.
The Hilltoppers added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. McSheffery opened the inning with a one-out single, followed by a single by Lexi Stephens to give the Hilltoppers two on with one out. After Mandy Phillips grounded into a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning, Paul hit ground-ball single through the left side, plating McSheffery. An errant throw in from the outfield advanced both runners an additional base, leaving runners on second and third with two outs. Kristen Lozano then connected on a two-RBI sinlge, bringing the St. Edward’s lead to 4-0 after five innings of play.
Barry racked up nine hits in the game, six of which came in the seventh inning. DeTagle went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI to pace the offense, while Ashley Likens and Young each added two hits. Amber Jack (30-2) got the start and went five innings and gave up four runs on seven hits, while striking out seven, but Young (10-5) was saddled with the Buccaneer loss allowing one run in one inning of work.
Paul led the Hilltoppers with a pair of hits and two RBI, and Lozano drove in a pair of runs, while Stephens added two hits and scored twice. Robin Becker (28-7) started the game and went 3.1 innings before being relieved by Diana Cezeaux. Cezeaux then went three innings and gave up three runs before Becker came back in to toss the final two outs to earn the win for St. Edward’s.
The Buccaneers will face the Francis Marion Patriots on Thursday morning, May 15 at 11 am EST.
St. Edward's 5, Barry 4 (May 14, 2008 at Houston, Texas)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry............... 000 000 4 - 4 9 2 (44-7)
St. Edward's........ 001 030 1 - 5 8 0 (52-15)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Barry - Amber Jack; Megan Young(6). St. Edward's - Robin Becker; Diana Cezeaux(5).
Win-Robin Becker(28-7) Loss-Megan Young(10-5) T-2:00 A-330
Young faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Jack faced 1 batter in the 7th.
Game: SB0514