May 18, 2009

DECATUR, Ala. - Day three of the 29^th Annual NAIA Softball National Championships saw seven NAIA Top 10 teams advance to the final eight of the tournament, including the top four and six of the top seven.  Each of the eight pool winners will now face off in a double-elimination bracket on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to determine the 2009 National Champion. 

The final eight will consist of No. 1 California Baptist, No. 2 Lubbock Christian (Texas), No. 3 Dickinson State (N.D.), No. 4 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), No. 6 Oklahoma City, No. 7 St. Gregory's (Okla.), No. 9 Martin Methodist (Tenn.), No. 15 Notre Dame (Ohio).

Day three of the tournament starter on Saturday after a four hour rain delay.  However, only three games were completed.  The rest of Saturday's pool play games were finished on Sunday.

Pool A Recap, Day 3

The NAIA's No. 1 ranked team and the tournament's top seed California Baptist won the pool with a 3-0 record.  California Baptist defeated Friends (Kan.) 8-0 in six innings to secure their spot in the final eight.  Tory Ferreira tossed a complete game, one-hitter, while Ashley Boyd led the team offensively going 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs.

Park (Mo.) defeated Hastings (Neb.) in the final game in Pool A.  Six different players recorded one hit each, while four different players posted one RBI each.  Jamie Garman earned the win, tossing seven innings, allowing just four hits and on unearned run.

Pool B Recap, Day 3

The defending NAIA National Champion and No. 2 ranked NAIA team Lubbock Christian (Texas) cruised through their pool to advance to the final eight.  Lubbock Christian's clinching win came in an 8-0 win over Shorter (Ga.).  In a battle of the two unbeaten Pool B teams, Lubbock Christian's Alyssa Gutierrez tossed a no-hitter in her five innings of work with five strikeouts.  Kelly Griego provided much of the offense, going 3-for-3 with four RBI.

Morningside (Iowa) defeated Asbury (Ky.) in the final game of pool play 2-0.  Morningside's Kelly Baumert tossed a complete game, one-hit shutout, while striking out nine batters.  Morningside got and RBI each from Brandi Burke and Emily Wassom.

Pool C Recap, Day 3

Dickinson State (N.D.), ranked No. 3 in the final NAIA rankings, won Pool C with a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Concordia (Calif.).  In a battle of the two undefeated teams in Pool C, Dickinson trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, before posted three runs in the frame.  Sara Jane Webster earned the complete game win, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out 17 batters.  Kelly Jahn drove in two runs for Dickinson State.

In the final game of Pool C, Missouri Valley College pounded out 12 hits to defeat Northwood (Texas) 7-4.  Missouri Valley got two RBI from Heather Sliger who went 2-for-4 in the game.

Pool D Recap, Day 3

Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), the NAIA's No. 4 ranked team, advanced to the final eight with a win over Madonna (Mich.).  Both teams entered the game with 2-0 pool records, but it was all Point Loma Nazarene who took the game 8-1.  The Sea Lions posted 14 hits in the game, led by Jenel Guadagno with three hits.  Jill Schafer posted five RBI, including a three-run homer.

Holy Names (Calif.) rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win 6-5 in eight innings as they knocked off McKendree (Ill.).  McKendree posted three runs in the second and two more in the third as they seemed to be cruising for a win in their final game.  However, Holly Names scored five in the fifth to tie the game.  Then, an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning from pinch hitter Kaitlyn Stutz gave Holy Names the win.

Pool E Recap, Day 3

The first pool of 2009 not to be won by the top seed was Pool E.  Notre Dame (Ohio), the NAIA's No. 25 ranked team and third seed in Pool E, posted a 3-0 record to advance to the final eight.  Notre Dame clinched the win with a 9-1, six-inning win over Waldorf (Iowa).  Waldorf led 1-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, before Notre Dame stormed back with seven runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth.  Notre Dame boasted two players with two hits each, while two other players posted two RBI in the game.

William Carey (Miss.), the pool's top season and No. 5 ranked NAIA team, defeated Brenau (Ga.) 4-3 in their final game.  Jill Wdgeworth and Judy Barber each drove in two runs for William Carey.

Pool F Recap, Day 3

In a battle of two NAIA top 10 teams, 11 combined NAIA Softball National Titles, and 2-0 Pool F records, the Oklahoma City and Simon Fraser (Canada) game was the most anticipated match up of pool play.  The game started on Saturday with Oklahoma City jumping out to a quick 7-2 advantage.  However, rain suspended the game until Sunday afternoon.  Simon Fraser added a run in the sixth inning and had the tying run at the plate, but failed to score again.  Oklahoma City, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA, advanced as they seed their ninth national title.

In a battle of two teams seeking their first tournament win of 2009, Bethel (Tenn.) rallied to defeat Georgetown (Ky.) 5-4.  Georgetown led 4-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.  Bethel added a run in the sixth and then the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to get the win.  Brittany Edmonds was the hero with her game-winning hit in the seventh.

Pool G Recap, Day 3

St. Gregory's (Okla.), ranked No. 7 in the NAIA, posted a perfect 3-0 pool record capped off with a 1-0 win over Houston-Victoria (Texas).  Sharon Bell added 15 more strikeouts to her tournament leading 42 strikeouts over three games.  Bell allowed just one hit in the win, while Cortney Reynaga added the offence, going 2-for-3 with the lone run scored.

Saint Xavier (Ill.) defeated SCAD (Ga.) 5-1 in their final game.  Ashley Hunter went 1-for 4 on the day with a grand slam in the first inning.

Pool H Recap, Day 3

In the closest pool of the tournament, NAIA No. 9 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) and second seed in Pool H, advanced to the final eight ahead of NAIA No. 8 Bethel (Ind.) by way of the tie breaker.  Martin Methodist clinched the pool title with a 1-0 win over Bethel to advance to the final eight.  After two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Martin Methodist posted three straight singles to load the bases.  A walk to Samantha Queen scored Chrissy Worth for the game's only run.  Chrissy Worth not only scored the winning run, but tossed a complete game shutout, scattering seven hits to earn the win.

In a pool that boasted three 1-0 games out of six total games, the College of Idaho capped off the pool with a 1-0 win over Virginia-Wise.  Jody Zillner struck out eight batters and allowed just four hits in the complete game win.

-NAIA-