Sunday, May 22, 2005

SAINTS MOVE ON TO SECOND ROUND OF
NAIA NATIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

Decatur, Ala. – Taking a 3-2 win over Point Loma Nazarene University in 10 innings and a 8-0 victory against Aquinas College, the North Georgia College & State University Saints softball team is moving on to the second round of the NAIA National Softball Tournament.

Game 3, PLNU 2, NGCSU 3 (10 Innings)

For the second straight game, North Georgia College and State University played a 10 inning game, however, this time the Lady Saints came out on top as they upset #6 Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif. ) 3-2.

North Georgia (43-16) improved to 2-1 in league play with one game remaining for a chance to advance to the final eight. Point Loma Nazarene (44-14) falls to 2-2 in pool play and now must wait for the rest of the teams to play out.

In the game, Point Loma Nazarene took an early 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single by Katie McColeman to score Amanda Addie. Point Loma Nazarene added another run in the top of the fourth thanks to a Lisa Field single to left field that scored the second run. However, North Georgia would begin to take advantage of six Point Loma Nazarene errors as they answered in the bottom of the fourth inning with an un-earned run. Lynsey Thompson led off with a double to center field. After a groundout and a strikeout, Bronwyn Miller reached on an infield error that allowed Thompson to score.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, North Georgia tied the game with another unearned run. A throwing error by Point Loma Nazarene with one out and a runner on first allowed that runner to move up. That set up an RBI single by Lara Seamon that tied the game. The score would remain 2-2 until the bottom of the tenth. Both Candace Schubert and Thompson reached on infield errors to start the inning. Then Annie Ball grounded out to the shortstop for the first out. Lara Seamon then flied out to the leftfielder for the second out, however, Schubert scored on a misplayed through back to the infield.

Beth Willis (29-7) earned the win by pitching a complete game allowing just two runs on 13 hits and striking out three batters. Katie McColeman took the loss in relief after giving up one unearned run in 2.1 innings pitched. KC Robertson started the game and also returned to the mound for the final two batters of the game. She pitched a total of 7.1 innings, allowing just two unearned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Box Score

Game 4, Aquinas 0, NGCSU 8

North Georgia College and State University became only the second non-seeded team to advance to the final eight in the 2005 NAIA Softball National Championship with an 8-0 victory over Aquinas College ( Mich. ).

North Georgia (44-16) rode the pitching effort of Danielle Rainey as she took a no-hitter to the final batter of the game. Rainey (7-6) had two strikes on the final batter of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, but a single by Kathy Williams broke the would-be first no-hitter of the national tournament. Rainey finished the game with seven innings pitched, allowing just the one hit and recording a tournament-high 12 strikeouts.

Leading the way for North Georgia 's offense was Brittany Cobb with a 2-for-4 performance and three runs scored. Lynsey Thompson and Bronwyn Miller each went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the game.

Aquinas (37-14) ended their season by going 0-4 in pool play. Annie Szczepanek (15-7) took the loss after giving up three runs on six hits in six inning pitched. Kambra Sundstum pitched the final inning, allowing five runs on five hits.

Box Score

The Saints move on to the double elimination bracket with the seven remianing teams from the tournament. North Georgia will face #2 Houston Baptist at 11:30 a.m. (CST).