NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Salisbury
University softball team saw its 2010 season come to a close on
Saturday afternoon, falling to Messiah College 5-4 at the NCAA
Regional hosted by Christopher Newport University. Both of
Salisbury's losses in the double-elimination event came at the
hands of the Falcons.
Salisbury battled back from a 3-1 deficit in the game
and were able to take a one-run lead in the top of the
seventh, but two Messiah runs in the bottom of the inning were the
difference.
After the Sea Gulls manufactured a run in the top of the first
with a bunt single from senior Kelly
Waskewicz (Virginia Beach, Va.), a sacrifice bunt and
a steal of home for a 1-0 lead, the Falcons came back with single
runs in the first, third and fourth innings to grab the 3-1
advantage.
The Sea Gulls (36-4) would not sit back and watch their season
end quietly as they began to chip away, cutting the lead to 3-2 in
the top of the sixth inning with a two-out rally. Junior Kristin Lord (Denton, Md.) reached on a
two-out single and came around to score on a pair of Falcon errors.
Down one run in its final chance at the plate Salisbury did what
it needed to in order to keep the game going and then some. Senior
Amanda
DeMoine (Baltimore, Md.) drew a one-out walk to begin
the rally. Freshman Carly
Read (Baltimore, Md.) came on to pinch run and moved
up to second base on a sacrifice bunt. As the potential tying run,
one would expect Read's speed to be the key, but she was able to
trot home as senior Rachel
Hastings (Westborough, Mass.) blasted a two-run home
run to give the Sea Gulls a 4-3 lead.
The Falcons (38-8) opened the bottom half of the seventh with a
bunt single before a sacrifice bunt moved the potential game-tying
run into scoring position. After another walk, a two-run double
gave the Falcons the victory.
The loss brings to an end the careers seniors Lauren
Brenneman (York, Pa.), Jen Cahall
(Elkton, Md.), Brittany
Lounge (Pasadena, Md.), Ali Ritter
(Belvidere, N.J.) DeMoine, Hastings and Waskewicz. The senior class
has made three trips to the NCAA tournament, including an
appearance in the World Series in 2009.
