May 24, 2010

DECATUR, Ala. - Trevecca Nazarene stunned Lee (Tenn.) with a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the seventh inning to come from behind for the 7-6 win to advance into the double-elimination bracket of the 2010 NAIA Softball National Championship Monday at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex. The Trojans will take on Pool G winner Shorter (Ga.) at 9 p.m. CDT.

Lee led the entire game, only to see Trevecca Nazarene (44-15) chip away at the lead and successfully rally for three runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Lady Flames, who were playing in their sixth national championship, exit with a 2-1 record in the pool and finish their season at 57-5. Lauren Baker (21-8) registered the win for the Trojans, while Sara Mitchell (3-1) took the loss.

The Lady Flames held a 5-2 lead at the end of three innings, posting three runs in the second and two more in the third. Lee added to its lead in the top of the fifth frame on a Johana Gomez single to center that drove in Savannah Bell for the 6-2 edge.

Melinda Patterson opened the Trojan fifth with a leadoff walk that Kelsey Lantrip took advantage of by sending a Gomez pitch sailing over the left-field fence to cut the Lee lead to 6-4.

With momentum on their side and having the last at-bat, Trevecca Nazarene rallied in the seventh. Brenna Zeis started out the frame by touching Gomez for a single to left field. Lee went to the bullpen by bringing in Brittany Balough, who balked on her first pitch to send Zeis down to second base. Balough balked again to push Zeis up 60 feet and then walked Patterson to put runners at first and third. Sara Mitchell replaced Balough in the circle, but a wild pitch sent Patterson down to second. Zeis held at third.

Both Zeis and Patterson came in to score when Lee first baseman Caitlin Haley was unable to get a hold on the throw from Jenevieve Cena at third base that went towards the dugout on the miscue. Lauren Baker, the batter to cause the bobbled play, sped around to third on the scramble and the Trojans tied the game at 6-6 with nobody out. Brooke Brennan attempted to lay down the suicide squeeze in the next Trevecca Nazarene at-bat, but was unsuccessful. With one out, Lantrip stepped into the box and put down the squeeze to score Baker and clinch a spot in the double-elimination bracket.

Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.) pounded out 10 hits and took advantage of three Notre Dame (Ohio) errors en route to a 9-0 win in six innings to close out pool play action. The Bees finish 1-2 in their fifth trip to the national championship and 36-17 for the season. The Falcons went 0-3 in their second appearance in the event, with their campaign ending at 25-27.

Five SCAD batters drove in runs, led by a pair of RBIs from Carleigh Shannon, Courtney Mienkina and Jessaca Spears. Kristen Curette and Kasey Keown also brought in a run each. Ten Bee batters collected a hit off of losing pitcher Christina Hutchison. Sam White picked up the win for SCAD from the circle. Notre Dame had nine hits in the loss with two a piece from Charisse Colston and Nicole Spehar.