 Softball |
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April 13, 2007 BURLINGTON, N.C. - Second-seeded Methodist grabbed the second berth in the USA South Conference softball tournament winners bracket finals with a 5-2 victory over Greensboro Friday afternoon. Methodist (29-7) will face top-seeded Christopher Newport tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. with a finals berth on the line. The winner of that contest will have two chances to earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA's. Greensboro (31-9) is now into the elimination bracket. They have a 9:00 a.m. game Friday against the winner of the Ferrum/Peace game. The Monarchs got off to a quick start in the top half of the first inning as Kayla Talbert knocked in Kristen Kennedy to give Methodist an unearned run and put them up 1-0 with two outs. The Monarchs added another run in the inning when Titi Headen singled up the middle to bring Bethany Thurston around to home plate. Thurston was pinch running for Sarah Poling who had reached on a fielders choice earlier in the inning. The additional run gave Methodist a 2-0 lead early in the ball game. Greensboro had runners in scoring position in the bottom half of the inning, but was unable to plate any of the runners, while leaving two runners in scoring position to end the inning. MU would leave another runner in scoring position in the second inning, while GC could not get much going offensively. Monarch pitcher Lesley Hewitt struck out two batters in the bottom half of the second to retire the side and keep a 2-0 lead going into the third. Hewitt's counterpart, Jordan Davenport, found easy going in the first half of the third inning by retiring the first two batters, before Candace Hudgins ripped a single into left-center field. Hudgins effort would be all for not as Davenport got the next batter to fly out to shallow center field to end the inning with Methodist hanging onto a 2-0 advantage. Methodist again looked poised to add to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as Jennifer Brophy led off with a double to right-center field. Erica Brown would come in to relieve Davenport of her pitching duties after the double and found instant success. Brown struck out Kim Barttlet and then got Rebecca Kelly to dribble a slow roller down the first base line for another put out, but Brown could not get out of the inning unscathed. Megan Hutson hit a single deep into the hole advancing Brophy to third, then on the next pitch to Kristen Kennedy got a little wild as the ball passed the catchers mitt bringing in Brophy for another run and eventually walked Kennedy to put runners on at the corners with a 3-0 lead. Brown would get the next batter to fly out to second, but the damage was done as the Monarchs increased their advantage. Methodist added another run in the fifth inning as Jennifer Brophy once again doubled to right-center field to bring home Tina Poindexter who was pinch running for Kayla Talbert after she singled to lead off in the inning. The additional run took the Methodist lead to 4-0 with time running out for the Greensboro Pride. Greensboro went on to score a run in the bottom half of the fifth, but Methodist would match the scoring production in the top half of the sixth inning when Talbert knocked in Rebecca Kelly to put the Monarchs up 5-1 late in the contest. Hewitt (12-2) was magnificent for the Monarchs on the mound in the winning effort. She continuously retired the Pride batters and looked as if she was getting stronger in the later innings. GC did, however, add another run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Ryeleigh Loftin hit a sac fly to right field bringing in Kendra Leghart who opened the inning with a double to right. The run did cut into the Monarch lead, but it was too little-too late as Methodist closed out the game up 5-2 to advance to face Christopher Newport on Saturday in the winners side of the bracket. |
