Post by bva on May 11, 2006 19:52:51 GMT -5
Kotz delivers game-winning double; Keleher holds 49ers to three hits
May 11, 2006
AMBLER, Pa. - Freshman Ashley Kotz delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning to lead St. Bonaventure to a 4-1 win over top-seeded Charlotte in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Championship on Thursday afternoon at Temple University's Ambler Sports Complex.
The game went into extra innings deadlocked at 1-1. St. Bonaventure loaded the bases in the top of the eighth. With one out, Kotz came on as a pinch hitter and delivered a two-run double to right center that gave the Bonnies a 3-1 lead. Sophomore second baseman Andrea Swanger followed with a grounder to second base and sophomore designated player Kirstin Strong beat the throw home to make it 4-1.
The Bonnies rode the pitching of junior Christine Keleher, who allowed Charlotte only three hits. Keleher, who was named to the All-Conference second team on Wednesday, retired the 49ers in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.
"CK (Keleher) is one of the best pitchers in the conference and we'll go as far as she can take us," Bonnies coach Mike Threehouse said afterward. "She held one of the top hitting teams in the A-10 to three hits. After the first couple innings, I was worried we might not score, but we kept our poise and took advantage of the chances we had late in the game."
Keleher, who struck out two and walked three, improved to 18-9 on the year.
The 49ers' lone run came in the third inning on an RBI single by catcher Becky Mathews that scored second baseman Lauren Schmitz.
St. Bonaventure tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning. Senior left fielder Lauren Krieger reached on a two-base error by Schmitz. Krieger advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Strong, then scored on a sacrifice fly in foul territory down the left field line by junior outfielder Caitlin Grattan.
St. Bonaventure had only three hits on the day but capitalized on three Charlotte errors. The Bonnies did see three glorious scoring chances come up empty. The Bonnies loaded the bases but could not score in both the first and second innings. Then in the top of the seventh, Swanger led off with a double but was stranded on third base.
Bonnies shortstop Joelle Brunetto made the defensive play of the game in the sixth, when she snared a line drive off the bat of Kaicee Jones and doubled Brittany Cantrell off of second base.
St. Bonaventure, which is making its second appearance in the A-10 Championship, is now 23-20 on the year. The 49ers, who swept the Bonnies earlier this season in Charlotte, dropped to 42-13.
St. Bonaventure advances to face the winner of Thursday's other opening round game between Massachusetts and Fordham on Friday at noon. The Championship is a double-elimination format.
May 11, 2006
AMBLER, Pa. - Freshman Ashley Kotz delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning to lead St. Bonaventure to a 4-1 win over top-seeded Charlotte in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Championship on Thursday afternoon at Temple University's Ambler Sports Complex.
The game went into extra innings deadlocked at 1-1. St. Bonaventure loaded the bases in the top of the eighth. With one out, Kotz came on as a pinch hitter and delivered a two-run double to right center that gave the Bonnies a 3-1 lead. Sophomore second baseman Andrea Swanger followed with a grounder to second base and sophomore designated player Kirstin Strong beat the throw home to make it 4-1.
The Bonnies rode the pitching of junior Christine Keleher, who allowed Charlotte only three hits. Keleher, who was named to the All-Conference second team on Wednesday, retired the 49ers in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.
"CK (Keleher) is one of the best pitchers in the conference and we'll go as far as she can take us," Bonnies coach Mike Threehouse said afterward. "She held one of the top hitting teams in the A-10 to three hits. After the first couple innings, I was worried we might not score, but we kept our poise and took advantage of the chances we had late in the game."
Keleher, who struck out two and walked three, improved to 18-9 on the year.
The 49ers' lone run came in the third inning on an RBI single by catcher Becky Mathews that scored second baseman Lauren Schmitz.
St. Bonaventure tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning. Senior left fielder Lauren Krieger reached on a two-base error by Schmitz. Krieger advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Strong, then scored on a sacrifice fly in foul territory down the left field line by junior outfielder Caitlin Grattan.
St. Bonaventure had only three hits on the day but capitalized on three Charlotte errors. The Bonnies did see three glorious scoring chances come up empty. The Bonnies loaded the bases but could not score in both the first and second innings. Then in the top of the seventh, Swanger led off with a double but was stranded on third base.
Bonnies shortstop Joelle Brunetto made the defensive play of the game in the sixth, when she snared a line drive off the bat of Kaicee Jones and doubled Brittany Cantrell off of second base.
St. Bonaventure, which is making its second appearance in the A-10 Championship, is now 23-20 on the year. The 49ers, who swept the Bonnies earlier this season in Charlotte, dropped to 42-13.
St. Bonaventure advances to face the winner of Thursday's other opening round game between Massachusetts and Fordham on Friday at noon. The Championship is a double-elimination format.
