Session Five
Methodist 4, Willamette 0
Jennifer Sorensen threw the first no-hitter of the tournament, and Kim McCall went 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lead Methodist over Willamette. Sorensen, who led the nation last year with nine saves and tied the all-time career record for saves a year ago, struck out seven and allowed two walks. Lindsay Leitao's RBI single in the first would prove to be all the Monarchs would need, but they added two more in the third on McCall's two-run home run. Lisa Strittmatter capped the scoring with a solo blast in the sixth.
Pacific Lutheran 9, LaGrange 1 (5 innings)
Andrea Wells drove in three runs, including two in a five-run fifth, to push Pacific Luthern over LaGrange 9-1. Jewel Koury, who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, kicked off the scoring with a double before Sara Shideler added a double of her own that plated both RBIs she recorded on the morning. Koury, Resa Lee and Missy Quam each singled in runs during the five-run third, and Wells plated Beth Kenck with a double in the fifth to conclude the scoring for the Lutes. Kellee Scandrett and Katherine Bailey each collected LaGrange's only hits of the game in the Panthers' run-scoring fourth inning.
Maryville 3, Wheaton 1
Maryville got all three runs in the third inning to overcome an early 1-0 deficit and knock off Wheaton 3-1. Wheaton struck first with a single by Brianna Shawah and an error that she eventually scored on. The Saints took the lead for good in the third as Amy O'Laughlin, Jennifer Kypta and Amanda Nuyt all singled to lead off the frame, and Brianne Haas scored them with a double. After surrendering the early run, Heidi Patterson held on the rest of the way for the win.
East Texas Baptist 8, Muhlenberg 0 (6 innings)
East Texas Baptist hit three home runs, including one in a four-run third inning, to knock off Muhlenberg 8-0 in a game called after six innings. Christy Shipley provided all the offense she would need to help her own cause in the circle, as she homered in the first to put ETBU up 1-0. Shipley went the distance, allowing just three hits and a walk. Her offense continued to produce, however, as the Tigers got four more in the third off a double by Shipley, a single by Angela Gonzales and a home run by Holley Martin. Allison Ratcliff capped the scoring with a home run in the fifth.
Roanoke 3, Central 1
Roanoke scored three runs in the fourth to overcome a 1-0 deficit and knock off defending national champion Central 3-1. The Dutch jumped on top early after Kristin Wares walked and later scored on an error. That would be all the Dutch would get against Amy Gillis and Emily Rackely, however. The Maroons' bats came to life behind a quartet of singles in the fourth. Mary Thomas started it off and Robin O'Connor followed before Alicia Pryor drove a run in on a ground out to shortstop. Kasey Austin reached via a single and later scored on Crystal Berry's base hit. Austin led the way with three hits, while Bri Kuyper paced Central with a 2-for-3 performance.
Coe 3, Ithaca 2
Coe jumped ahead 3-1 on Ithaca and managed to hold on for a 3-2 win over the Bombers. Ithaca took the early lead with a Meg Hannon base hit that scored Kaitlyn Dulac. The Kohawks, however, rallied for the 2-1 lead as Leah Fuhrman scored Ashley Wagner on a double and then scored herself on an error by the centerfielder. Fuhrman drove in another run in the fourth after Rachel Brinkman started the inning with a double. Ithaca cut the lead to a single run with an RBI single from Sara Durant in the fifth, but the rally would fall short as the Bombers left a runner stranded at third base.
Session Six
St. Thomas 8, Western Connecticut State 3
A four-run first inning sparked St. Thomas to a spot in the gold bracket with an 8-3 win over Western Connecticut State. Kristi Huegel led the way with a 3-for-3 plate performance that included an RBI. Kathleen Fitzpatrick went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while her sister Colleen posted a pair of hits and accounted for three of the Tommies' runs. Mandy Bowlby also registered three hits for the game, including the leadoff single that sparked a three-run fourth. Emily Cullen highlighted Western Connecticut's two-run fourth with her RBI double that scored Melissa Walsh.
Alma 1, Plattsburgh St. 0
Erin Carson's sacrifice fly in the third scored Colleen Trybus with what proved to be the winning run, and Paula Stanford allowed just two hits and struck out 10 as Alma knocked off Plattsburgh State. Trybus and Kelly Schmuckal picked up the only hits of the game for the Scots. Tracy Mitchell suffered the loss for the Cardinals, giving up that lone run on two hits. Kelly Bazinet and Marcic Everleth posted Plattsburgh State's hits.
La Verne 3, Muskingum 2 (8 innings)
After posting a 2-0 lead, La Verne saw Muskingum rally and force the game into extra frames before La Verne scored the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth inning. La Verne jumped up early with two runs in the fourth off of Mary Olson's home run. Muskingum put up a run in the sixth on Amy Clauss' single and then again in the seventh on a double from Jeanna Rayman. Amanda Jones and Suzy Riker each had a pair of hits to lead the Leopards.
Lake Forest 3, Bridgewater State 2
Lake Forest scored two runs in the sixth to pull ahead for good in a 3-2 win over Bridgewater State. The Foresters' rally came with two outs in the frame. Melissa Wegner reached on a walk and Carly Gilbert got on via an error before Justeen Streich and Erin Watts provided a pair of base hits. Kim Olson put Bridgewater State on top early with a one-out home run in the first, and Jennifer Quental extended the lead with a double she later scored on. After the opening frame, Lake Forest's MacKenzie Knowling settled down to only allow two more hits the rest of the way en route to picking up the win.
Moravian 4, Capital 0
Moravian pounded out 14 hits and got a stellar four-hit peformance in the circle from Meagan Hehnessy to knock off Capital 4-0. Moravian gave Hehnessy all the offense she would need with a three-run burst in the third that started with Janelle's Brey double that brought home Leah Holmes. Brey then scored on a double from Melissa Soroka. Jenn Hastings completed the scoring in the frame with a single that plated Hastings. Hehnessy never allowed a capital runner past first base, and the offense continued to fire for the Greyhounds as they scored an additional run on Richelle McWilliams' solo blast in the sixth.
Illinois Wesleyan 8, Bethany 0 (5 innings)
Michelle Bradley went 2-for-3, including a home run that capped a four-run third inning, as Illinois Wesleyan bested Bethany 8-0 in a game called due to the run rule. The Titans struck with three in the first. Brynn Hasse led off with a single and then her and Kelly Murray were brought home by Natalie Hackett's two-out double. In the explosive third, a one-out double and triple set the stage for a two-out, three-run home run by Bradley. Kelly Murray limited Bethany to just four hits while going the distance.
Bracket play kicked off Saturday night with games at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The 2004 NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic concludes Sunday with games beginning at 8 a.m.
