By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
May 5, 2002
For most of its fast-pitch softball history, Delta State has difficulties in winning third round games like the one Saturday night here in the Gulf South Conference Tournament at Northeast Park.
This time, the Lady Statesmen came through and they will live to play on Sunday in the round of four. Delta State eliminated West-Division champ and arch-rival Arkansas-Monticello 2-1.
Delta State, now 40-14, will face West Florida (48-16) today at 10 a.m. in a fourth round game. Valdosta State and Alabama-Huntsville were the lone unbeaten teams left in the tournament and were playing each other in Saturday's late game. All four teams will be in action today.
DSU head coach David Kuhn took a gutsy chance pinch-hitting for his top-hitter in the bottom of the sixth against UAM. The move worked. Red-shirt freshman Laura Hartness drew a bases-loaded walk scoring pinch-runner Breana Brooks with the eventual winning run.
Defense was a big factor in the game as UAM made five errors compared to DSU's none. The Cotton Blossoms scratched out a run in the first and it stayed 1-0 until DSU tied it when Joy Long singled in Angela Armstrong in the bottom of the third.
In the sixth, Lauren LaSuzzo reached on a UAM's fifth error of the game. A hit-by-pitch and a single by Casey Bourgoyne loaded the bases against UAM starter Jamie Thomas. Hartness then the drew walk to put DSU ahead.
In the seventh, UAM got a leadoff single but that was it as Genre retired the next three batters.
Alabama Huntsville 4
Arkansas-Monticello 0
Three-time defending GSC champion Alabama-Huntsville got a complete-game shutout from Erica Miller to beat West Champ Arkansas-Monticello 4-0 in a second round game Saturday. The win moved Huntsville (41-17) into a late winners bracket game against Valdosta State.
All four of the Charger runs came off a pair of home runs. Casey Aaynes belted a two-run shot in the sixth inning to snap a scoreless game. In the seventh, pinch-hitter Leigha Morphew hit a two-run shot to make it 4-0.
Jessica Inman, Ashley Potter and Nakisha Boyd all finished with two hits. UAH had nine in all off UAM starter Lindsey Kight who took the loss.
Valdosta State 7
West Florida 2
Valdosta State stayed unbeaten in the tournament by knocking off East Division champ and 17th ranked West Florida 7-2 in a second round game Saturday.
Valdosta, now 40-19, moved on to face Alabama-Huntsville late on Saturday night.
Angela Lauzon pitched a complete game scattering four hits to key the Lady Blazers.
Valdosta trailed 2-0 following RBIs by the Argonauts' Krissy Styrna and Rhonda Watson. The Lady Blazers came back with three runs in the fourth followed by two each in the fifth and sixth.
Delta State 4
Central Arkansas 0
Delta State sent Central Arkansas packing with a 4-0 decision. Nicki Genre tossed a four-hit shutout to pick up her 33rd win of the season.
Delta State banged out 14 hits with six players having multi-hit games. Catcher Joy Long went 3-for-4. Leslie Pourciau went 2-for-5 with a run scored. Lauren LaSuzzo, Stephanie Fletcher, Casey Bourgoyne and Jayme Brooks all had two hits.
Brooke Boatman took the loss for UCA.
West Florida 12
West Georiga 0
West Florida moved on to Sunday play by ripping West Georgia 12-0 in a third round game Saturday.
Krissy Styrna and Carole Ward each knocked in two runs for the Argonauts. Paige Trammel had two hits and scored three runs.
West Georiga 2
Southern Arkansas 1
West Georgia eliminated Southern Arkansas 2-1. The Lady Braves scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI fielders choice by Beth Sprangler.
Valdosta State 11
Delta State 3
Delta State pulled to within a run of the Lady Blazers at 4-3 after five innings, but Valdosta State countered with a big rally in the sixth.
VSU scored seven in the top of the sixth and then held DSU scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to take the 11-3 victory.
The Lady Blazers, 39-19, banged out 13 hits including 12 off Delta State ace pitcher in Nicki Genre.
Tiffany Moon and Katherine Wyatt each went 3-for-4. Lindsay Ellingsworth went 2-for-4 and scored two runs while Tammi Momberg also had two hits and two runs.
Ellingsworth, Momberg, Moon and Krista Kneuer drove in two runs. Valdosta scored four in the first and seven in the sixth to account for its 11 runs.
Ellingsworth went six innings to grab the win to improve to 15-4. Genre falls to 32-6 after allowing 10 runs, eight earned, on 12 hits.
Delta State, 39-14, got an RBI single from Jayme Brooks and a double from Casey Bourgoyne.
Arkansas-Monticello 2
WEst Georgia 1
Jamie Thomas scattered five hits leading Arkansas-Monticello to a 2-1 win over West Georgia in opening round action.
The Cotton Bllossoms. 36-13, got two runs in the bottom of the second to erase a 1-0 West Georgia lead. Thomas and Nicole Henderson had the RBI hits for UAM.
West Georgia, 20-27, got a run from Sharae Battles following a RBI hit by Jennifer Cagle. Jennifer Edwards took the loss for the Lady Braves.
West Florida 5
Central Arkansas 1
Tanya Teague fired a two-hitter to accompany a solo homer by Destini Robnson as West Florida whipped Central Arkansas 5-1 in an opening round game.
Central Arkansas' lone run came on a solo home run by Lanna Allen in the fifth inning. Robinson came back with her shot in the bottom half of the inning to make it 3-1. The Argonauts then scored two more in the sixth to wrap it up.
Teague did not strike out a batter, getting instead 21 putouts by her defense. Brooke Boatman took the loss for UCA.
Alabama Huntsville 11
Southern Arkansas 3
Three-time defending GSC champion Alabama-Huntsville romped past Southern Arkansas 11-3 behind a 16-hit attack.
Katie Tillman led the Chargers going 4-for-4 and driving in four runs off a pair of doubles. Casey Haynes was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI while Melanie Carter went 2-for-3 and scored three runs. Jessica Inman also had two hits and scored twice.
Southern Arkansas actually led 3-2 after three complete. UAH tied it in the fourth and then got two in the fifth and six in the sixth to win by run rule at 11-3.
Courtney Funderburk pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief to gain the win. Krystal Poulin took the loss for Southern Arkansas.