2006 USA South Softball
Tournament
Thursday-Saturday, April 13th-15th
Burlington Springwood Park
Burlington, NC
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Greensboro outlasts NC Wesleyan in 13-inning marathon
BURLINGTON, N.C.
- In one of the longest games in tournament history, second seeded
Greensboro College outlasted No. 4 NC Wesleyan in the loser's bracket
final of the 2006 USA South Conference softball tournament with a 5-4,
13-inning victory.
The contest lasted 3:35 and had had a little bit of everything - two great pitching performances, outstanding hitting, momentum changing double plays and some drama.
Fittingly, the winning run came on a two-out rally. Catcher Margaret Hamm, who drew a one-out walk and stole second base, scored on pinch hitter Ashley Pennington's single to left field.
This run completed a comeback from four runs down by the Pride (29-12) and sends them into the championship game against top-seeded Methodist. MC needs one win and GC two to claim the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
NC Wesleyan (20-18) had led 4-0 after scoring one run in the second and three in the third, but gave up its advantage when Greensboro scored one in the fourth and three in the fifth.
The Lady Bishops left 13 women on base including two in the 10th and 13th and one in the 12th. In the 12th, NCWC got a leadoff single from Ashley Bass and saw Courtney Tucker reach on a fielder's choice. After they were sacrificed to second and third, GC second baseman Lauren Manning speared Hannah Hardy's line drive just off second base and tossed to shortstop Jessica Clack for the inning-ending double play.
Wesleyan placed the potential go-ahead run on third base in the 13th as well, but winning pitcher Jordan Davenport struck out Krystal Newbern to end the threat. Davenport (7-3), who came on in the middle of the Lady Bishops rally in the third, struck out eight over the final 10.2 innings to earn the win. She allowed nine of Wesleyan's 13 hits.
Pennington's single also made a loser of Libby Fulford (13-10). Fulford went the distance, allowing five runs on 19 hits in 12.2 innings while going 4-for-6 at the plate with an RBI.
Greensboro had its chances to score the winning run before the 13th inning as well. They loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but Fulford induced a groundball and a flyout to end that threat. In the ninth and 10th, they left runners at third and had runner at second with two outs in the 12th.
The
runner left at third base in the 10th caused the contest's drama. With
two outs and Jenee Johnson on second, Wesleyan coach John Brackett
called time as Fulford was in the middle of her windup. Fulford stopped
her delivery mid-motion and was called for a balk, sending Johnson to
third. When Brackett came out to protest the call, he was ejected from
the contest.