NCAA Division II Championship
James I. Moyer Softball Complex
Salem, Va.
Division II Championship Host Web Site
Division II Championship LIVE Audio Broadcast
Day Two Notes
It's a Boy!: Without a doubt, the story gaining the most attention at this year's national championship is the new addition to the Rodriguez and Eastern New Mexico family. ENMU co-head coaches -- and husband and wife -- Kathleen and James Rodriguez became proud parents of a newborn baby Friday evening. Aryn James Rodriguez was born Friday at approximately 6:45 p.m. Kathleen was in the hospital while James coached the Zias during their 2-0 victory over Dowling. Players on the team joked that they wanted to name the baby "Salem Virginia Rodriguez."
Unfamiliar Early Exit: For the first time in school history, Kennesaw State went 0-2 at the national finals. The Owls, national champions in 1995 and 1996, won at least one game in each of their first five appearances.
Kendall...Still Going: With two complete games under her belt, Humboldt State pitcher Jessame Kendall has now pitched in 115 consecutive innings and 153.2 of the Lumberjacks' last 155 innings. By contrast, Lewis University, Humboldt State's opponent Saturday, used three pitchers in Friday's win over Alabama-Huntsville.
Put Her Anywhere: It doesn't seem to matter where Lewis centerfielderKatie Schaefer bats in the lineup. Hitting in the No. 9 spot against Eastern New Mexico, Schaefer went 2-for-3. Batting second Friday agaisnt Alabama-Huntsville, Schaefer went 3-for-4 and helped spark the Flyers' four-run third inning.
Day Two Quotes
"I think the championship should be seeded. Then again, when we won it in '96 and No. 1 California and No. 2 Wisconsin-Parkside played each other in the first round, people said it should be seeded."
Kennesaw State head coach Scott Whitlock, whose No.2-ranked team faced No. 3 Nebraska-Omaha in the first round and No. 4 Bloomsburg in an elimination game.
"It was definitely in the back of my mind, so I knew I needed to make the most of it."
Bloomsburg senior shortstop Erica Miller, when asked if her sixth-inning at-bat against Kennesaw State might be her final career at-bat. Miller hit a game-tying home run to spark Bloomsburg's come-from-behind victory.
"I would want to be in the delivery room and Kathleen would tell me to go to the field and win a national championship."
Eastern New Mexico co-head coach James Rodriguez, whose wife, co-head coach Kathleen, gave birth to the couple's second child Friday.
"We all said coach would have the baby in Virginia, so we figured we might as well win and stay a few days since coach is going to be here for a few extra days anyway."
Eastern New Mexico centerfielder Kim Paschall.
"I think we played with both teams that we played here and that makes me kind of happy with how we did. We could have won either game and I think we made a decent showing."
Dowling head coach Jim Kiernan.
"The whole time, we played strong and I think we belonged here. And it was about time we got here. Four years of playing, it was about time!"
Dowling senior pitcher Sherran Wilson.
"(Our strategy) was to throw her inside, but not hit her. We wanted her to hit a ground ball to third base."
Humboldt State head coach Frank Cheek on Nebraska-Omaha's Tiffany Jones getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
"It's not over. We're a good ballclub, just as everyone that's here is a good ballclub. We're just fighting to stay alive right now, fighting to survive and advance."
Nebraska-Omaha head coach Jeanne Tostenson.
"I got a good jump. I knew I had to catch it. I didn't know it was a fair ball. They told me after I caught it that it was on the fair side of the pole."
Lewis left fielder Miranda Fudge on her catch in the sixth inning, reaching over the left field fence to rob Alabama-Huntsville's Renea Harrison of a go-ahead two-run homer.
"We had to go with the fastball and when you get here, you can't throw stuff down the middle and expect to get out of it."
Alabama-Huntsville head coach Les Stuedeman after the loss to Lewis.
