NCAA Division II Championship
James I. Moyer Softball Complex
Salem, Va.
Division II Championship Host Web Site
Division II Championship LIVE Audio Broadcast
Day Three Notes
Audio Webcast Getting the Hits: The exact numbers are not in, but the number of hits for the live audio webcast of the Division II championship are well into the thousands. Listeners have come from as far away as Moracco. The webcast not only includes live audio play-by-play, but also photographs from the championship. Monday's game(s) will be video taped will be available for view in streaming video (with accompnaying audio)on a delayed basis.
Monday, Monday: With Saturday's rain pushing the schedule back, tournament play will extend into Monday for the first time since 1998. In each of the last two years, the championship game was played on Sunday night, with the "if" game scheduled for Monday. Humboldt State clinched the championship on Sunday night in 1999, as did North Dakota State last year.
Mom and Baby Doing Fine: Eastern New Mexico co-head coach Kathleen Rodriguez and newborn son Aryn James Rodriguez are resting comfortably at Carillion Hospital in Roanoke, Va., near Salem, Va., site of the Division II championship. Aryn was born Friday afternoon at 5:23 p.m., just in time for Kathleen's husband and co-head coach James Rodriguez to be there for the delivery. Kathleen was informed every inning by telephone of her team's contest against Nebraska-Omaha. Unfortunately for the Rodriguez family, Eastern New Mexico lost 3-0 and was eliminated from the championship.
New RBI Record?: Nebraska-Omaha's Tiffany Jones may have set a Division II championships record, albeit, an unusual record -- Most Runs Batted In by Hit By Pitch. Jones drove in a run Friday against Humboldt State when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Saturday against Eastern New Mexico, she came up with the bases loaded and again was hit by a pitch, driving in another run.
"Prime Time" Pepper: Bloomsburg catcher Liza Pepper seems to shine at the Division II national championship. Last year, Pepper hit a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth against West Florida and was named to the all-tournament team. This year, she had Bloomsburg's first hit against Humboldt State, then hit a solo home run in Bloomsburg's 3-2 win over Kennesaw State. Saturday against Alabama-Huntsville, she was instrumental in two defensive plays, preventing Stephanie Berry from scoring in the third inning and throwing out a runner trying to steal second in the sixth inning.
Day Three Quotes
"Games like this, we can't leave anybody on at this point. Each inning is a big inning for us and we have to capitalize when we can. We had so many chances today and our bats just weren't there. Tomorrow's another day and we haven't shown yet what our bats can do."
Nebraska-Omaha head coach Jeanne Tostenson, whose team left 13 runners on base against Eastern New Mexico after stranding eight runners against Humboldt State Friday.
"However you get those runs in, that's all that matters. They always say 'take it for the team' so I took it for the team."
Nebraska-Omaha's Tiffany Jones, who was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded Saturday for the second time during the championship.
"The team really stepped it up yesterday, so I told them that (Kathleen's) going to have another baby today."
Eastern New Mexico co-head coach James Rodriguez.
"We just wanted to go out with a bang. Our first goal was to win the conference, we did that. Then go on to regionals, won that. Now we're here and it's like a dream come true."
Eastern New Mexico outfielder Suzy Seitzinger on finishing her playing career with the teamÃs first trip to the national finals.
"I thought we had a great first inning. To come out and score three runs was key for us because (Alabama) Huntsville has a good hitting team."
Bloomsburg head coach Jan Hutchinson on Bloomsburg's three-run first inning against Alabama-Huntsville.
"Coach had me bunt because she knows I'm the fastest player on the team."
Bloomburg's Erica Miller joking about her surprise bunt in Bloomsburg's three-run first inning against Alabama-Huntsville.
"It's been a great four years. I wouldn't trade it for anything. We can hold our heads up high."
Alabama-Huntsville senior shortstop Audrey Williams, one of four UAH seniors.
"Can we appeal to the NCAA to get a fifth year of eligibility?"
Alabama-Huntsville headcoach Les Stuedeman.
