Bulldogs Advance To Championship With 3-2 Win In 11-Inning Marathon
May 11, 2007 | Softball
DELAND, Fla. – The Gardner-Webb softball team came up against multiple problems against Stetson in the semifinals, but ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection Joanna Ward was smart enough not to give up on a play and scored from second base in the 11th inning, sending the Bulldogs to the A-Sun Championship game.
GWU improves to 35-24-1 on the season.
The Bulldogs broke the scoreless tie in the third inning. After managing to get just one hit the first two innings – an infield blooper by freshman Emily Sherrill, designated player Haley Scism launched her first homerun of the season for a 1-0 lead.
The Hatters tied the contest in the fourth as Nicole Forbes crossed home on a single, knotting the score at 1-1.
GWU was unable to take the lead in the fifth after getting the lead-off batter on board. Jessi Williams singled up the middle off Heather Colding and moved to second on Joanna Ward's sacrifice bunt. However, Colding struck out the next two Bulldogs to end the threat.
Stetson had a runner in scoring position in the bottom half of the fifth with two outs, but Taryn Beck induced a grounder by Sherrel Fountain, which she calmly snagged and threw to Ward for the final out of the inning.
After Sherrill flew out to the warning track in center field, Lindsey Whitfield also hit a long fly to right field to start the seventh inning. Jessi Williams came to the plate and doubled down the left field line, but Joanna Ward was unable to bring her in, leaving her stranded and the score tied at 1-1.
In the top of the eighth, Scism walked and Adrienne Smith moved to second on Linsley's walk after coming in as a pinch runner. Looper then singled to load the bases. After Jessi Polk struck out, Melody Harrell, who has been dominant for much of the tournament, drilled a Colding pitch to deep center field, allowing Smith to scoot home for a 2-1 lead. Sherrill sent a rocket to center field, but it was caught, ending the inning as GWU regained control of the contest.
Stetson had the bases loaded with one out in the eighth, but Taryn Beck forced a popup to right field where Harrell sprinted back to make the catch. She turned and fired home, but the Hatters' runner had already crossed home plate to knot the score. Beck then struck out a pinch hitter to keep the game deadlocked moving to the ninth.
Lindsey Whitfield singled to lead off the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Eventually she ended up on third with Joanna Ward on second, but the Bulldogs were unable to plate a run.
In the bottom of the ninth, Alison Coffey came in to relieve Beck. The Hatters got two runners on with one out, but Coffey settled down and struck out one opposing player before getting Fountain to ground out to Lindsay Cox, who ran over and touched first base to end the inning.
GWU managed to get two singles in the 10th, but stranded both as Cox was unable to beat out a hard hit ball to the shortstop.
In the bottom of the frame, the Hatters were again attempting to end the game. However, Looper fielded a grounder, stepped on the bag and fired it to Cox at second base for the inning-ending double play.
After Williams grounded out to begin the 11th, Joanna Ward singled to deep right center field and moved to second as Scism reached on an error. Looper singled to the pitcher, but a bad throw allowed Joanna Ward to cross home plate.
Coffey struck out the side, earning her 10th win of the season and ending the contest.
The Bulldogs will play Stetson tomorrow at 12 p.m., who downed Campbell 2-0 in eight innings to win the consolation bracket.
| Box Score |
| Overall Statistics |
