California Baptist University
Trevecca Nazarene University
NO DOUBTING THOMAS
5/19/2008 7:00:00 AM | Softball
DECATUR, Ala. ? It may have been her second complete 12-inning game of the tournament, but after California Baptist's Amy Thomas worked out of jam after jam in a 2-1 win over No. 5 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.), there was no doubt who was in control in the circle. The win in the opening round of bracket play at the 2008 NAIA Softball National Championship keeps the Lancers in the winner's bracket and they will take on Mobile at approximately 4 p.m. (CDT).
Thomas (31-4) relied heavily on her top ranked defense as the Lancers (59-6) made play after play to pull a couple of Houdini acts to get out of two different innings with the bases loaded.
California Baptist struck first early in the game when Nicole Shoemaker scored from second on a single to right field by Allison Dennis.
The Lancers, who left 10 runners on base, didn't score again until the top of the 12th, but had a chance to score in the fifth with the bases loaded, but left all three stranded.
Trevecca, who had been held scoreless for the first six innings of play, didn't score until the seventh. The Trojans had a chance to tie the game in the third after Kelly Maconachy ran down a fly ball in left with one out and a runner on third. Maconachy quickly got the ball out of her glove and fired to Shoemaker at home to get Melinda Patterson at the plate. The double play ended the inning and any threat at that point.
Then came the bottom seventh.
After Sara Nicholson ripped a one-out single to left, Patterson was hit by Thomas and then Ashley Camp drew a two-out walk to load the bases. That's when Kacey Coonce laced a single down the left field line to score Nicholson and tie the game at one.
Both the Trojans and the Lancers were held scoreless for the next four innings. The Trojans loaded the bases twice; once in the eighth and again in the 10th. Megan Suggs led off the eighth with a triple before Karli Rush walked and Patterson was hit again by Thomas to load the bases with two outs. Thomas then forced a ground out to end the inning.
In the tenth, Trevecca loaded the bases with three straight singles with one out, but again Thomas was able to force a pair of ground outs to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Lancers caught a break in the 12th when Allison Dennis led off the inning with a walk and Maconachy singled to short. After Sarah Goforth pushed the runners over to second and third with a sac bunt Chantal Millard lifted a fly ball to left field. Nicholson made the catch and Dennis took a few hard steps to force a throw, but Nicholson's throw took a bounce and got past Nicki Levering at the plate allowing Dennis to score from third and that was all Thomas needed to pick up the win after shutting Trevecca down in the fourth.
Trevecca's hurler, Brittany Johnson, went the complete 12 innings as well. Johnson struck out 14, walked four and allowed just one earned run.
The Lancers are now 3-1 in extra inning games this year and 2-0 in extras at the tournament this year.
