All-Tournament Team
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- No. 13 Michigan defeated Virginia Tech 1-0 and Georgia Tech rallied to down Tennessee Tech 4-2 to share the 2007 NFCA Leadoff Classic title on a rain-shortened Sunday at South Commons Stadium and Complex in Columbus, Ga.
The Wolverines (14-1) got a two-hit shutout from Lorilyn Wilson, striking out 10 Hokies to better Angela Tincher who allowed a run on three hits with 13 K’s.
The lone run of the game came in the fourth as Samantha Findlay capped a stellar tournament with a leadoff home run that would prove to be the difference in the contest.
Brittany Barnes homered to spark a three-run rally in the seventh inning as the Yellow Jackets rallied from a one-run deficit to knock off Tennessee Tech and claim a share of the gold bracket championship. Whitney Haller brought home the game-winning run as she laced a two-out single to third base.
Illinois State’s Shannon Nicholson and Stacy Birk combined to limit Baylor to a run and five hits as the Redbirds moved to 11-4 on the year with a 4-1 victory over the Bears that clinched a silver bracket co-championship.
Kaprice Williams paced ISU with a 2-for-3 plate performance that included a two home runs, a pair of RBIs and two runs scored. Williams’ home run followed an inning after Michelle Henderson capped a two-run fourth inning with a two-run blast.
Southern Illinois completed the silver bracket sweep by the Missouri Valley Conference with a 4-1 win over No. 20 Florida State. Becky Wegmann singled home a run in the two-run second and homered in the fourth to cap a 2-for-2 day in which she drove in half of the Salukis’ runs. Ashley Hamby moved to 7-1 on the year by going the distance and allowing a run on three hits.
No. 21 Nebraska’s Devin Porter homered in the top of the seventh to break open a 1-1 game and lift the Cornhuskers to the bronze bracket championship over No. 18 Georgia. Molly Hill struck out six and gave up a run on three hits in the complete-game outing.
North Carolina’s Stephanie Murad drove in four runs, including a three-run home run in the fifth, as the Tar Heels knocked off Mississippi State 8-4 to claim a share of the blue bracket championship. Massachusetts’ Brandice Balschmiter struck out seven and allowed a run on three hits to lead the No. 25 Minutewomen to a 6-1 win over Coastal Carolina that clinched the other share of the blue bracket.
DePaul’s Becca Heteniak gave up an unearned run and two hits and got a pair of RBIs from Marcy Wilus as DePaul shared the green bracket title with Seton Hall following a 9-1 victory over Lehigh.
Seton Hall trailed Hofstra 3-2 following the fourth inning, but the Pirates rallied with three runs in the fifth to claim its first victory of the season behind a 5-3 win that clinched the other half of the green bracket title.
Teams played one game each due to rain that hit the Columbus area overnight and pushed the start times back to 11:30 a.m.
