For Immediate Release
April 23, 2006
Huntingdon College Advances to Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship
Macon, Ga. - Third seeded Huntingdon College Hawks took down #1 Piedmont College and #2 LaGrange College to clinch a spot in tomorrow's GSAC Softball Championship game at 1:00pm. Junior pitcher Alyssa Ryan threw two complete games to run her record to 3-0 during the tournament. The Hawks are looking to claim their third championship victory in four years with a win tomorrow. They will face the winner of tomorrow's elimination game between Piedmont College and LaGrange College, scheduled for 11:00am at the Mathews Athletics Complex on the campus of Wesleyan College.
Game 1: #3 Huntingdon College 3, #2 LaGrange College 2 (8)
Day two of the Great South Athletic Conference Softball Championship began with an exciting extra innings match up between #2 LaGrange College and #3 Huntingdon College. A sacrifice fly by Huntingdon's Rachel Moya scored Nicole Hill in the first inning to give the Hawks an early lead. The Panthers tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning when Jessica DeMooney scored off of a Huntingdon throwing error. The teams exchanged runs in the seventh inning to send the game into extra innings. Huntingdon took advantage of a Panther error and a bunt single by right fielder Nicole Hill that scored the go ahead run. In the bottom of the eighth, the Panthers could not generate the offense necessary to advance their runner, dropping the game 3-2. Alyssa Ryan (2-0) from Huntingdon earned the win, while Amanda Daniel (0-1) from LaGrange College picked up the loss.
Game 2: #1 Piedmont College 4, #4 Maryville College 0
After a rocky start, GSAC Pitcher of the Year, Meredith Ray led Piedmont to the winner's bracket final with a 4-0 win over Maryville College. The junior southpaw surrendered four hits in the first two innings and had to work out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the second, but responded by retiring the final 15 batters to secure the shut out. Piedmont generated all the offense it needed to pick up the win when the Lions scored off a double by Mandie Fuston and a single by Marissa Harding. The Lions tacked on two more insurance runs in the middle innings to seal their victory. Piedmont's Meredith Ray (1-0) picked up the win, and Maryville's Angie Castle (0-1) took the loss.
Game 3: #2 LaGrange College 9, #7 Spelman College 2
Three of LaGrange College's first four batters scored, as the Panthers cruised to a 9-2 win over the Jaguars of Spelman College. Junior center fielder Kellee Scandrett led the Panthers at the plate, going 2-4 with three RBIs and one run. Also contributing to LaGrange's offensive effort was freshman Chloe Turnipseed, who went 2-4 with 2 RBIs and two runs. Spelman finishes the tournament 1-2, picking up a win in their first ever GSAC Championship. LaGrange's Megan Henry and Hayley Hanson combined for a two-hitter with Megan Henry improving to 2-0 in the GSAC Championship, while LaToya Lee of Spelman dropped to 1-2.
Game 4: #4 Maryville College 6, #5 Agnes Scott College 2
In a rematch of yesterday's first game of the Championship where Maryville won 8-0, the Scots continued their dominance of Agnes Scott, defeating them 6-2. The game was tied 1-1 through the first three innings before Maryville took control for the remainder of the game with seven hits. Outfielder Angie Castle went 2-3, scoring two runs, while pitcher Keri Onks supported herself at the plate by also scoring two runs. On the mound, Onks (1-0) pitched seven complete innings, surrendering five hits and striking out six. Celia Worley (0-1) was saddled with the loss for the Scotties.
Game 5: #3 Huntingdon College 7, #1 Piedmont College 2
The Huntingdon College Hawks pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament thus far, handing Piedmont College their first loss in GSAC play all year by winning Sunday's game, 7-2. Piedmont took a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning, but Huntingdon rallied in the sixth, batting through their order. With two outs, Huntingdon's Jessica Reeves began the scoring surge with a double that drove in the first of the Hawks six runs of the inning. Nicole Marshall contributed to the Hawks offense as well, going 2-4 from the plate with two RBIs and one run scored. Huntingdon pitcher Alyssa Ryan threw her third straight complete game of the tournament, giving up only four hits to a very powerful Piedmont offense. Meredith Ray of Piedmont College picked up her first loss of the tournament, moving her record to 1-1.
Game 6: #2 LaGrange College 2, #4 Maryville College 1
LaGrange College bounced back from a sluggish start to the day to defeat Maryville College 2-1 in the final game of the day. They have the potential to avenge Sunday morning's loss to Huntingdon in the Championship game, but standing in their way is Piedmont College, who they will face in the elimination game of the loser's bracket on Monday morning. LaGrange scored first in the second inning, when catcher Dicie Holland hit a double down the right line to score senior Stephanie Bassett. The Panthers tacked on another run in the fifth when senior Jessica DeMooney scored off of a Chloe Turnipseed hit. The Scots of Maryville looked set to make a run at the Panthers in the sixth inning when junior Keri Onks singled to score Brittany Hayes. However, LaGrange's Amanda Daniel (1-1) shut down the remaining Scot batters, striking out two of the last three to capture her first victory of the tournament. Maryville's Angie Castle (1-1) took the loss.
Wesleyan College Sports Information Department
