California Baptist University
Dickinson State University (N.D.)
WET START, WILD FINISH
5/16/2008 7:00:00 AM | Softball
DECATUR, Ala. ? After a wet and soggy morning that caused games to be pushed back two hours, it became a literal wild opening day for California Baptist at the 2008 NAIA Softball National Championships.
After the Lancers scored three unanswered runs to grab a 6-3 win over Indiana Southeast, the Lancers scored the only run in a 12-inning pitcher's dual on a wild pitch in a 1-0 win over No. 8 Dickinson State.
It took 12 innings for CBU to do the one thing that it needed to do to win the game. No, not score, but place a runner at third. The only time a runner reached third the entire game for CBU, the Lancers capitalized on a wild pitch from DSU's starting hurler, Sara Jane Webster. In what was almost a perfectly pitched game, it was the one blemish that haunted Webster.
In the top of the 12th, Nikki Lowe led off the inning with a single to third before Erin Moore laid down a sac bunt to move her to second and Nicole Shoemaker hit a fly ball that was snagged in right field, allowing Lowe to move to third. Then a high and outside pitch, on Sarah Hurlbut, got away from Jamie McIntyre, DSU's catcher, and allowed Lowe to score from third.
Webster threw the complete 12-inning game, allowing just four hits and fanning 11. Amy Thomas (29-4) was just as good, going distance as well. She scattered 10 hits, struck out nine and walked just four. Thomas was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam twice; once in the sixth with one out and the last came with no outs in the 10th.
The Blue Hawks left 13 runners on base and had a runner reach third base three times. Of the 10 hits DSU had, seven came from Kelly Jahn (4-for-5) and Nicole Marcoux (3-for-6).
The win gave CBU head coach Mike Smith his 428th win in the NAIA tying him with Sharon Leahman for the second most win in GSAC history.
California Baptist got a bit of a scare in the opening game in the win over Indiana Southeast.
A one-out double by Karina Slauenwhite gave the Lancers a 4-3 lead in the fifth and CBU scored two more insurance runs in the seventh on back-to-back singles by Allison Dennis and Kelly Maconachy to put it away.
The Lancers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning in what looked to be the start of a rout. The Lancers ripped three straight singles to score the first run of the game and then Moore hit a sac fly to left to give CBU the two-run lead.
Chantal Millard put California Baptist up 3-0 with her second home run of the year with a solo shot to right center.
Melanie Ahumada (27-2) carried a no-hitter into the third inning until the Grenadiers lead off the fourth inning with two straight singles and then loaded the bases with a walk. After Southeast scored their first run on a passed ball, Michelle Reyher ripped a double to right field to tie the game at three.
Ahumada went the first 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and struck out five. Thomas came on to close throwing the final 1.1 innings and picked up her sixth save of the year.
Moore went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a double. Millard went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
California Baptist will now play Shorter (Ga.) at 9 a.m. (CDT) and will play Bethel (Ind.) at 4:30 p.m. (CDT) in the final day of pool play Saturday.
