SALISBURY, Md. - The second-seed Salisbury
University softball team suffered a 3-0 setback to the hands of
seventh-seed Neumann College on Thursday afternoon in the NCAA
Division III first-round tournament opening round game at the SU
Softball Complex. The game was delayed for over two hours as rain
soaked the field after the conclusion of the second game between
third-seed Emory University and sixth-seed LaGrange College.
The loss snaps a 30-game win streak for the No. 11 Sea Gulls
(34-5) who last lost on March 11, 2009 to Christopher Newport
University. This is also the first loss at home for the maroon and
gold since March 22, 2008 to end a streak of 32 consecutive home
victories.
SU will face LaGrange (25-20) in an elimination game tomorrow
(Friday, May 8) at 11 a.m. The Panthers lost to Emory (31-10) in
the seventh inning as the Eagles walked off with the
1-0 win. The first game of the Salisbury, Maryland First-Round
Tournament saw fifth-seed Christopher Newport (36-7) upend
fourth-seed Bridgewater (Va.) College, 3-2.
The inclement weather in the area forced officials to postpone
the fourth and final game on the first day. The fourth game is
between top-seed Lynchburg College (37-6-1) and Bridgewater
(33-10), who will now play on Friday morning at 9 a.m. The official
schedule for tomorrow's action has been changed from four games to
five with the first game set for 9 a.m. with the fifth game slated
to begin at 5 p.m.
The Salisbury-Neumann game featured some great defensive plays
as neither team could score any runs in the first several innings.
The Knights (31-10) started off the top of the fourth inning with a
single followed by a double to put runners on second and third base
with no outs. SU starting pitcher Stacy Davis
(20-3) was able to force an infield fly and a strikeout before
Neumann's Lauren Strack hit a single to left field to plate a run
and give the Knights a 1-0 lead. The Gulls were able to get out of
the inning on a steal attempt by Strack, who was forced out by
junior shortstop Kelly Waskewicz who was able
to apply the run-down tag before a second run scored.
Neumann scored two more runs in the final two innings of play to
hand SU only its fifth loss of the season. Caitlin Hanrahan hit a
solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to left field and the
Knights manufactured a third run in the seventh.
The Sea Gulls best opportunity to score came in the bottom of
the first inning. Junior Brittany Lounge singled
up the middle with one out. Lounge moved over to second base on a
sacrifice bunt by junior catcher Lauren Brenneman.
Lounge was then thrown out on the ensuing play as she tried to
steal third base.
Salisbury made its 14th NCAA tournament appearance today and its
first since 2007.
Neumann College pitcher Angela Sebasto (19-3) picked up the win
as the senior pitched all seven innings where she struck out four.
The Knights advance in the winner's bracket of the
double-elimination tournament and will face Emory on Friday at 1
p.m.
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