May 24, 2010

DECATUR, Ala. - Oklahoma City advanced into the double-elimination bracket, despite losing its final game of pool play 4-1 to Concordia (Calif.), of the 2010 NAIA Softball National Championship Monday at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex. Oklahoma City moves on by way of the Minot State (N.D.) tiebreaker will take on the winner of Pool A at 9 p.m. CDT.

Concordia defeated Oklahoma City (42-12, 2-1) 4-1 in the final game of Pool H play. Rachel Reekstin (12-11) earned the win for the Eagles, tossing all seven innings and allowing just one earned run on six hits. She issued three walks and fanned a pair in the effort. Jenni Gaby (6-4) took the loss for Oklahoma City, throwing just one inning and giving up one earned run on three hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Ashley Wilburn entered in relief of Gaby and went five innings with three earned runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

The Eagles' third trip to the event ends with a 1-2 mark in pool play and 42-20 for the year.

Concordia struck first in the bottom of the second with a lead-off single through the hole at shortstop by Carly Smith. Lizette Fernandez advanced Smith's pinch runner, Courtney Fik, to second with another hit. Fik reached third on a walk by Alexis Vernon and scored on a grounder by Brieana Eckel to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the third, Concordia added three more to the board. Katie Carson walked and moved to second on a Shannon Walton hit to shallow left. Fernandez dropped in a hit in short center field to load the bases, and Vernon laced a doubled down the left-field line to score all three base runners and put the Eagles up 4-0.

The Stars earned one back in the top of the fifth when Lily LaVelle doubled to right-center and scored off a double by Nathalie Timmermans, but it wouldn't be enough to overpower Concordia.

In the first game of the day, Minot State defeated Madonna (Mich.) 4-0. The winning pitcher for the Beavers was Mandy Greenberg, tossing all seven innings with no runs allowed on four hits. She walked one batter and struck out 11. Taking the loss for the Crusaders was Jess Irwin. She threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, three of them earned, on five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.

Minot State's offense was led by lead-off batter Janessa Penner, as she went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Molly Lundeen and Tiffany Friesen both added an RBI each on 1-for-2 efforts.

This was the Beavers first national championship appearance, as they finished pool play at 2-1 and conclude their season at 34-14. The Crusaders finished at 1-2 and 43-12 overall with the loss in their third appearance.