Azusa Pacific (Calif.) Holds On Late for 9-7 Win Over St. Thomas (Fla.) on Day One
May 19, 2011
GULF SHORES, Ala. – A five-run fourth-inning allowed the Azusa Pacific Cougars (Calif.) (33-21) to outlast St. Thomas (Fla.) (31-22), 9-7 in pool-play action at the 2011 NAIA Softball National Championship Thursday at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
Taryn Devich got the win for Azusa Pacific by limiting the Bobcats to two runs on five hits in four innings of work. St. Thomas’ Denise Prieto took the loss after giving up five earned runs on eight hits in three innings of action.
Angie Sprague finished 3-for-5 at the plate for the Cougars, Bekah Weisser went 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs, Erika Marmolejo finished 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and Jac Harkey added a 3-for-4 evening at the dish.
Monica Garcia went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for St. Thomas, while Jenny Sanchez finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Cindy Castrillon finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs.
That five-run fourth-inning gave Azusa Pacific an 8-4 lead before St. Thomas rallied late with three runs over the final two innings. Weisser and Marmolejo capped that fourth inning with a two-run double and two-run single, respectively.
The Bobcats trailed 9-5 heading into the final inning and tried to rally, beginning with back-to-back singles from Garcia and Danielle Borelli. Sanchez hit a sac fly for the first run and Castrillon doubled-home Borelli to bring the tying run to the plate before Rita Kim struck out the final batter to seal the win.
Azusa Pacific will face host school Mobile (Ala.) Friday at 11:30 am CDT at Field 1, while St. Thomas will battle Oklahoma City at 4:30 pm on the same field.
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