California Baptist University
Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)
EXTRA, EXTRA
4/29/2009 11:45:00 PM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? Ever wanted to go back in time? California Baptist University got the chance and took advantage in a 3-2 win over No. 25 Azusa Pacific in bottom of the 10th inning.
The Lancers (52-4) thought they would have to come from behind after Azusa Pacific took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth. The Cougars (27-22) started the eighth like any other extra inning game with a runner on second base as said by the international tie breaker rule. What was forgotten though was the fact that the international tie breaker rule is not used in post season play in the NAIA.
So Erika Navarrete's sacrifice squeeze that scored Bailey Blazek from third, and gave APU the 3-2 lead, became null-and-void when the rule was brought to the attention of the umpiring crew and the Cougars were forced to start back at the top of the eighth with no runner at second.
After holding APU scoreless for the next three innings, the Lancers got their turn in the bottom of the 10th and sealed their shot for the GSAC Tournament title. After Nikki Lowe drew a one-out walk, Sarah Hurlbut reached on an error and Sarah Strong loaded the bases with a walk. Nicole Shoemaker went opposite field and bounced a single off of the right-center field wall to score Lowe. Shoemaker just missed hitting a walk-off grand slam by inches and that would have been her second grand slam in two weeks.
“That ball almost got out of the park,” said CBU head coach Mike Smith. “That's a big hit. It was nice to be able to go back and replay the top of the eighth. We play with that rule all year so we really didn't think much about it. Now that doesn't necessarily mean that we weren't going to score in the bottom of the eighth, but that was fortunate for us.”
CBU struck first in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Lowe drove in Nina Cabrales and Briana Corral with a single up the middle. The Cougars answered in the top of the fifth when Bre Anderson picked a great time to have her first home-run of the year when she tied the score at two with a shot to left. Both teams were held scoreless for the next four and a half innings until Shoemaker's walk-off single.
Tory Ferreira (20-0) picked up the win for the Lancers after throwing the final 1.2 innings. Emma Holden got the start for CBU and threw the first five innings, allowing two runs on two hits and struck out four. Holden faced the first batter of the sixth before giving way to Melanie Ahumada who threw the next 3.1 innings and struck out three.
Camille Hundley never came out of the circle for APU as she threw 9.1 innings, allowing just three runs on six hits and she also fanned seven.
“You have to tip your hat to Camille,” said Smith. “She beat us earlier in the year when we were No. 3 and then knocked off Point Loma when they were No. 3. She pitched a great game today and kept us off balance. She had a fantastic year. We just haven't played CBU softball the last couple of days. We did just enough to win, but that's what good teams do sometimes.”
The Lancers now will take conference foe No. 4 Point Loma Nazarene in the championship series starting tomorrow at noon. Either team can take the conference title with a doubleheader sweep Thursday, but if the two split games, the deciding game will be played at 1 p.m. Friday. The championship series will be played at John C. Funk Stadium.
