USCAA Softball Championships Day Two Recaps

10:00 a.m. - Firestone Stadium Pony Field, Loser's Bracket Second Round

#3 WVU Tech (2-1) - 5, #8 Penn State Beaver (1-2) - 1

WVU Tech received a solid outing from starting pitcher Jacki Wood and scored all of their runs in the fourth and fifth innings, knocking Penn State Beaver from championship contention with a 5-1 win on Tuesday morning at Firestone Stadium's Pony Field.

The Golden Bears move on to face four-seed Iowa Wesleyan in a loser's bracket game at 2:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium on Tuesday, while Beaver will play for seventh place at 4:00 p.m. on the Pony Field against the loser of Ave Maria/St. Mary of the Woods.

Wood pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on three hits. Wood also recorded four strikeouts while walking two. Bridgett Goss, who wood relieved earlier in the tournament, came in to pick up the save with 1 1/3 innings of no-hit ball, striking out one.

Beaver's Kori Freyermuth once again went the distance on the mound for the Lions, surrendering all five runs (three earned) on eight hits and striking out four. For the second game in a row, Freyermuth received only one run of support from her offense, as Beaver's only RBI came from Freyermuth on a solo home run.

WVU Tech was stifled early, managing only two singles in the first three innings before breaking out in the fourth. Wood notched an RBI double before Megan Blythe added an RBI double of her own for a 2-0 Golden Bears lead.

From there, WVU Tech would extend their lead in the fifth, as Katie Campbell added a two-run double followed by a Wood RBI single two batters later for a 5-0 lead. WVU Tech managed only one runner after that, but it was enough as they would hold on for the four-run win.

10:00 a.m. - Firestone Stadium, Semifinal

#1 Briarcliffe College (2-0) - 5, #4 Iowa Wesleyan (1-1) - 3

Top-seed Briarcliffe College used a five-run fourth inning and then held on to top fourth-seeded Iowa Wesleyan, 5-3, in a semifinal of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championship at Firestone Stadium on Tuesday morning. 

The Bulldogs advance to the winner's bracket semifinal against the winner of Carlow/Lindenwood-Belleville at 6:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium later Tuesday night. Iowa Wesleyan moves into the loser's bracket to face WVU Tech at 2:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium.

Iowa Wesleyan got on the board first with a run in the second, capitalizing on two hits to lead off the inning. Andrea Bury hit a sacrifice fly to shallow right field as the Tigers picked up a 1-0 lead. 

After a scoreless third, Briarcliffe began the fourth with three consecutive doubles, including an RBI two-bagger by starting pitcher Ivette Yi-Santiago that gave Briarcliffe the only lead they would need at 2-1. Following a walk and a sac bunt, another walk loaded the bases. Alicia Sheron then singled to score a run, and an RBI groundout from Emily Mazzaro made it 4-1. A passed ball scored Shannon Dougherty as Briarcliffe took a 5-1 lead into the fifth. 

Iowa Wesleyan threatened in the fourth, but would not cross the plate again until the fifth when Ayla Serrano doubled to score two runs and cut the Bulldogs lead to 5-3. However, Yi-Santiago would stifle the Tigers offense the remainder of the game to advance the top-seed to the next round. Yi-Santiago finished the complete game by scattering eight hits over seven innings, giving up three runs and striking out three.

Sonja Holmes took the loss for the Tigers, lasting three-plus innings before being knocked out during the Bulldogs half of the fourth.

12:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium Pony Field, Loser's Bracket Second Round

#7 Ave Maria University (2-1) - 10, #5 St. Mary of the Woods (0-2) - 9

Ave Maria grabbed a 9-0 lead after two innings, then withstood a charge from St. Mary of the Woods to win 10-9 and advance in the loser's bracket of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships at Firestone Stadium's Pony Field. 

The Gyrenes take on Carlow University at 4:00 p.m. in a loser's bracket semifinal in a rematch of their second round match-up on Monday night. Carlow took down Ave Maria 12-2 in their first meeting. 

Ave Maria used five hits and took advantage of four Pomeroy errors in the first two innings to take the 9-0 lead. Sarah Vinci continued her hot hitting with an RBI double in the first, then drove in two more with a double in the second. The Gyrenes led 3-0 after the first, and went ahead 9-0 after two innings against St. Mary of the Woods starter Garrnet Stenger.

The Pomeroys battled back starting in the fourth. A walk and a hit batsmen eventually scored on RBI singles by Kimberly Strattman and Shelby Barnett to make it 9-3 after four. St. Mary of the Woods struck again in the sixth, rallying for six runs. Two RBI singles opened up the inning, followed by a Melinda Bauer RBI double to make it 9-6. Melana Minning then crushed a three-run homer to tie the game at 9-9 with one out in the inning. Ave Maria escaped a bases loaded jam to set up the seventh.

With two outs, Kingsley Avery singled, stole second base and scored on an RBI single from Caitlin Constance. Janet Holtfreter closed out the Pomeroys in the seventh to advance the Gyrenes.

St. Mary of the Woods will meet Penn State Beaver at 4:00 p.m. on the Pony Field in the seventh place game. 

12:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium, Semifinal

#6 Lindenwood University-Belleville (2-0) - 10, #2 Carlow University (1-1) - 0 (5 innings)

Lindenwood University-Belleville picked up their second straight upset win of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships, knocking off two-seed Carlow University, 10-0, to advance to the winner's bracket final on Tuesday night at Firestone Stadium.

The Lynx will face top-seed Briarcliffe College at 6:00 p.m. for a berth in the championship game on Wednesday afternoon. Carlow moves into the loser's bracket where they will face the winner of Ave Maria/St. Mary of the Woods at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday at Firestone Stadium to keep their hopes alive.

Stephanie Holiday earned her second win of the tournament for the Lynx, throwing five innings of shutout ball. The Celtics managed only two hits, one in the first and one in the third, and nothing else as Holiday shut down an offense that had scored 12 runs the previous evening. Holiday did not strike out a batter but walked only one batter. Her defense was also strong, committing no errors in 18 chances. 

Marquis Lozoya was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate for the Lynx, while Holiday added two RBIs at the plate to help her own cause. Sierra Redmon had a game-high three RBIs for Lindenwood-Belleville, while Brittney Snow added two RBIs of her own.

Lindenwood-Belleville pushed across one run in the second and three in the third for a 4-0 lead before exploding for six runs in the fifth. Holiday opened up the scoring in the fifth with an RBI single, and two batters later Redmon singled to plate two more runs for the Lynx. Snow followed with another two-run single before Mackenzie Foiles capped the inning with another RBI single and a 10-0 lead. 

Carlow received singles from starting pitcher Emily Pritts and Dana Hipple. Pritts went three innings, giving up four runs on four hits, striking out one. Jenna Grogan struggled in relief, as Lindenwood-Belleville picked up six runs on six hits over two innings of work. 

2:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium Pony Field, Ninth Place Game

#10 Penn State Mont Alto (1-2) - 11, #9 Virginia University-Lynchburg (0-3) - 3 (6 innings)

Penn State Mont Alto picked up their first win of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships on Tuesday afternoon, topping Virginia University-Lynchburg 11-3 in the ninth place game. 

Kristyan Gates picked up the win in relief for Mont Alto, and also chipped in with an RBI single in the Lions' six-run second. VUL chipped away at the Mont Alto lead, scoring one run in each of the second, third and fourth innings to cut the lead to 7-3 but that's as close as they would get. 

The Lions put the game away in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs to close out their championship. Mackenzie Trafka hit a two-run home run in the inning, finishing the game 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two stolen bases and a walk. Trafka also scored three runs, while Diamond Byers added three hits and two RBIs for the Lions.

VUL received a solo home run from Brooklyn Samuel in the third and an RBI double by Arleen Bailey in the fourth in the school's first ever appearance at the USCAA Softball Championships.

2:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium, Loser's Bracket Semifinal

#4 Iowa Wesleyan (2-1) - 7, #3 WVU Tech (2-2) - 3

Iowa Wesleyan used a quick two-run lead and eventually extended it to six before capping a 7-3 win over WVU Tech in the loser's bracket of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships in Akron, OH. 

With the victory, the Tigers advance to the loser's bracket final at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday night at Firestone Stadium where they will face the winner of Carlow/Ave Maria. WVU Tech, who falls to 2-2 on the tournament and was eliminated from championship contention, will play in the fifth place game on Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m., meets the Carlow/Ave Maria loser.

Iowa Wesleyan received three hits apiece from Tory Beaver and Ashley Mysliwiec, while Haleigh Cowan added two base hits. Mysliwiec had a game-high three RBIs, including a two-run double in the Tigers' four-run fourth inning. Iowa Wesleyan's first run came from an RBI single by Mysliwiec in the bottom of the first, and they would take a 2-0 lead after Beaver singled home a run in the second.

Tigers pitcher Jillian Leutscher shut down the Golden Bears offense through the first four innings, nursing a 2-0 lead before her team exploded for four runs in the fourth. Two singles sandwiched an error to give Iowa Wesleyan a 3-0 advantage before Mysliwiec's double made it 5-0. Dayna Budny's RBI single made it 6-0 before WVU Tech finally escaped the inning. 

The Golden Bears got on the board when relief pitcher Taylor Norman drove in a run in the fifth to make it 6-1. Iowa Wesleyan's lone run in the fifth made the score 7-1, while WVU Tech would threaten in each subsequent inning, but Leutscher allowed only one run in each of the last two innings to secure the win. Leutscher struck out six in the complete game performance, scattering eight hits while giving up only two earned runs.

With the win, Iowa Wesleyan keeps their championship hopes alive and can advance to the loser's bracket final with a win at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday night.

4:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium Pony Field, Fifth Place Game

#5 St. Mary of the Woods (2-2) - 10, #8 Penn State Beaver (1-3) - 1

St. Mary of the Woods erased Penn State Beaver starting pitcher Kori Freyermuth's solo home run in the top of the first inning and scored 10 unanswered runs to take a 10-1 win in the fifth place game at the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships in Akron, OH.

Freyermuth popped the homer to deep left center, but struggled on the mound as the Pomeroys put up four runs in each of the first two innings for an 8-1 lead. St. Mary of the Woods pumped out 13 hits over five innings, including three home runs. The Pomeroys received a two-run homer from leadoff batter Kelsey Rosselli in the second, and Shelby Turner added two homers of her own. Turner smacked a two-run homer in the first to quickly eradicate the Beaver lead, then hit another two-run dinger in the fourth to make the final tally 10-1.

Turner finished 2-for-2 with two homers, four RBIs and two runs scored while Shelby Barnett went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Dannielle Owens picked up the win with three innings of two hit ball to give the Pomeroys their second win of the tournament.

4:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium, Loser's Bracket Semifinal

#7 Ave Maria University (3-1) - 5, #2 Carlow University (1-2) - 2

Marlie Braddy lifted Ave Maria to a 5-2 win with two hits and two RBIs in a loser's bracket semifinal against Carlow in the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships. The Gyrenes scored all of their runs in the second inning, but would limit Carlow's chances to comeback in a rematch of a second round match-up from Monday night.

Carlow had knocked the Gyrenes into the loser's bracket with a 12-2 win in the last game of day one at the championships, but Ave Maria battled through the loser's bracket to advance and take on a Celtics team that had earlier lost to Lindenwood-Belleville. Ave Maria will meet four-seed Iowa Wesleyan at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday night in the loser's bracket final. Carlow slots into the fifth place game against WVU Tech at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

This second time around Ave Maria would come out on top, using timely hitting in the top of the second. Other than that inning, the Gyrenes managed only three other baserunners against Carlow pitcher Emily Pritts, who took her second loss of the tournament with a complete game six hitter. 

Carlow took an early lead in the bottom of the first, scoring after Kaysie Young walked and advanced around the bases on a series of passed balls and errors for a 1-0 lead. Ave Maria's first run came from a Janet Holtfreter RBI single and they took a 2-1 lead on a bases loaded walk by Kingsley Avery. A passed ball made it 3-1, and then Braddy went to work. Her two-run double made the score 5-1 and gave starting pitcher Emily Lemin a comfortable cushion to work with.

Lemin finished a complete game seven hitter with a tournament-best eight strikeouts and only two walks. Carlow rallied for a run in the third, and despite having runners on in the fifth with two outs could not dent Lemin's 5-2 lead. 

The Celtics still had a chance in the seventh, loading the bases with two singles and an Ave Maria error, but Lemin forced two pop ups to close out the Gyrenes win. Lemin improves to 2-0 in the tournament as Ave Maria advances to their third elimination game of the day.

6:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium, Winner's Bracket Final

#5 Lindenwood University-Belleville (3-0) - 1, #1 Briarcliffe College (2-1) - 0

It's been quite a day for Lindenwood-Belleville pitcher Stephanie Holiday. After picking up a win on Monday afternoon over WVU Tech, Holiday saved her best for day two of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championships at Firestone Stadium in Akron, OH.

Holiday slung a two-hit shutout of two-seed Carlow University in the early afternoon Tuesday, and then stifled top-seeded Briarcliffe with a masterful two-hit shutout in the winner's bracket final Tuesday night. The Lynx held on for a 1-0 win, thanks in large part to Holiday's complete game. But that's not the whole story for the Lynx, who's defense has been spectacular behind their ace on day two. 

In 20 chances against Briarcliffe, Lindenwood-Belleville fielders did not commit an error, giving them more than 40 straight chances without a fielding error. The Lynx had commited three mistakes in their first game against WVU Tech.

Four Lindenwood-Belleville players finished with two hits, as Sierra Redmon, Brittney Snow, Marquis Lozoya and Meghan Rumley all reached base at least twice. However, Rumley was the only one to produce a run, doubling in Mackenzie Foiles in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead. 

That's where the scoring would end as Briarcliffe stranded their only two runners, one in each the first and the fifth. The Lynx didn't fare much better against Briarcliffe starter Jillian McGovern who scattered ten hits over seven innings. McGovern escaped several jams and stranded eight Lynx baserunners on the night while striking out four.

Lindenwood-Belleville advances to the championship game on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium against the loser's bracket winner. Briarcliffe will meet the winner of Ave Maria/Iowa Wesleyan at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday for another shot at meeting the Lynx.

8:00 p.m. - Firestone Stadium, Loser's Bracket Final/4th Place Game

#7 Ave Maria University (4-1) - 5, #4 Iowa Wesleyan College (2-2) - 4

The Gyrenes of Ave Maria certainly know how to make coach Tim Speakman sweat. Down two runs in the bottom of the seventh against four-seed Iowa Wesleyan, the Gyrenes capped an incredible day with a 5-4 walk-off win. 

Sarah Vinci once again finished in the spotlight, capping a long day with a two-run, two out single through the right side to advance Ave Maria to the loser's bracket play-in/third-place game against top-seed Briarcliffe on Wednesday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium.

But the story so far for Ave Maria has been their four wins, three of which have come by one run. Two of those wins have come in walk-off fashion, and in another they squandered a 9-0 lead only to score in the top of the seventh and hold on for a 10-9 win. 

The drama on Tuesday night began with Jessenia Gonzalez reaching on an Iowa Wesleyan error, the Tigers' first such mistake of the tournament. Erika Avery and Caitlin Constance each singled to load the bases, and after a line out to left field, Alexandra Campbell singled to plate Gonzalez and cut the Iowa Wesleyan lead to 4-3. After another line out, this time to second base, Vinci stepped to the plate. Vinci cracked an outside pitch through the right side as Avery and Constance crossed home for the walk-off win, 5-4.

To that point, Tigers pitchers Ayla Serrano and Sonja Holmes had held the Gyrenes offense in check, allowing only five hits and two runs through the first six innings while striking out four. However, Holmes couldn't hold the lead in relief as Ave Maria won their third game of the day.

Iowa Wesleyan plated two runs each in the third and fifth innings, including an RBI single from Andrea Bury in the fifth to make it 4-2. The Tigers finish the tournament in fourth place with a record of 2-2.