
For immediate release - 4/22/2009 - #343
#15 LC Softball Posts Thrilling Sweep Of Shenandoah
LYNCHBURG, VA - The #15 Lynchburg College softball team posted a thrilling 2-0, 8-7 (8 inn.) sweep of Shenandoah University on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action from Aubrey R. Moon, Jr. Field.
Lynchburg posted a thrilling come-from-behind 8-7 victory in eight innings in game two. LC was down 6-2 going into the seventh inning. Tara Campbell (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County) led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homerun to chip away at the score. Lauren Duguay (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown) hit a double to right center that fell just short of the fence, but Taylor Walker (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) stepped up to the plate with one out and hit a homerun to make it just a one run deficit at 6-5. Amber James (Manahawkin, NJ/S. Regional) followed it up with a single and Brittany Allsop (Milford, CT/Johnathan Law) hit a single to advance James to second base, but a fielding error by the left fielder allowed James to score and Allsop to advance to third base to make it a tie game.
In the top of the 8th inning, Ashley Plaugher of Shenandoah was placed at second base due to the softball extra innings rules. Katie Bundrick executed a sacrifice bunt to send Plaugher to third base with only one out. Marlee Camplese reached on a fielder's choice as Plaugher attempted to score, but James threw her out at the plate. Camplese advanced to second on a passed ball, Catherine Pruiett singled, but an error allowed Pruiett to reach second base and Camplese to score to give SU a 7-6 lead. Katie Haskins managed to get on first base due to James electing to throw out Pruiett at home plate.
LC placed Sarah Smith (Danville, VA/Tunstall) on second base per extra innings rules, then Melissa O'Hara (Leesubrg, VA/Loudoun County) perfected a sacrifice bunt to put Smith on third base with no outs. Campbell came up to the plate to represent the game-winning run and she made the most of her opportunity as she hit a towering two-run walk-off homerun off the centerfield flagpole. Campbell finished the game 3-for-4 with two homeruns and four RBI, and Walker was 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Amber James also had a three-hit performance with one run scored and Allsop went 2-for-2 with a run and one run batted in.
Game one proved to be a pitching duel with only 11 hits as LC recorded a 2-0 shutout victory. Lynchburg put the first run on the board in the second inning as a Walker double sent Rachel Gallagher (Warrenton, VA/Fauquier) across home plate to give LC a 1-0 lead. Meagen Fredenberg (Konxville, TN/Bearden) was sent to pinch-hit to lead off the fifth inning and the substitution proved to be a great strategy as Fredenberg belted her first collegiate homerun to provide the 2-0 margin. Barbie Miles (Kinsale, VA/Washington & Lee) tossed all seven innings and allowed five hits to earn her 14th victory of the season
Lynchburg (33-6-1) will travel to Salem, VA, for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament as the #1 seed and faces Randolph-Macon College at 1 p.m. to open the tournament.
###