
For Immediate Release - 4/25/09 - #351
Lynchburg Softball Advances to ODAC Championship with 8-4 Defeat of Bridgewater
SALEM, VA - The Lynchburg College softball team defeated Bridgewater College 8-4 and advances to the ODAC Championship game.
Bridgewater drew first blood in the top of the first inning. Hillary Rees led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Emily Morris followed up with a single to send Rees to third, then Kaitlyn Bowman grounded out to shortstop as Rees crossed home plate. Lynchburg responded in the bottom of the second as Taylor Walker (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) fired a pitch over the right centerfield fences to even it at 1-1. Tara Campbell (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County) hit a one-out sacrifice fly to left field to score Lauren Duguay (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown) and give the Hornets their first lead of the game at 2-1.
Rachel Gallagher (Warrenton, VA/Fauquier) continued her clutch play in the bottom of the fourth as she hit her third homerun in the tournament and a Duguay double pushed Amber James (Manahawkin, NJ/S. Regional) across home plate to give LC a 4-1 lead. In the fifth inning, Walker delivered an RBI single up the middle to allow Kelly Self (Christiansburg, VA/Christiansburg) to score, and a James RBI single up the middle scored Walker to make it a 6-1 game.
Bridgewater would not go away, however, as they scored three runs in the top of the sixth. Rees stepped up to the plate with a runner on second and third and cleared the bases with a right field single to cut the advantage to just 6-3. Morris came up to bat with runners on first and second, but a passed ball advanced the runners to second and third. With the tying run at the plate, Morris singled up the middle to put the Eagles down just two runs going into the bottom of the sixth.
Lynchburg answered back and took a commanding four-run lead, 8-4, as Campbell belted a two-run homerun to centerfield to drive in Audra Della Rosa (Rumford, RI/St. Mary Academy Bay View). Bridgewater (33-8) needed four runs in the top of the seventh to try to force the game into extra innings and threatened yet again. The leadoff batter grounded out to second base, but Lauren Childress walked to reach first base. Amber Hoffman lined out to centerfield, and Drew Rutledge singled to leftfield to put runners on first and second with two outs. Leah Cossentino came up to bat next, but Katie Bruce (Lanexa, VA/Lafayette) got her to ground out to record the final out and the save.
Barbie Miles (Kinsale, VA/Washington & Lee) threw 5.2 innings and earned her 16th win of the season as she allowed just three earned runs while walking one Eagle. Walker went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, and Campbell finished 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run. Cossentino had a three-hit performance, and Rutledge, Rees, Mallory Sandridge, and Morris each recorded two hits. Rees also added two RBI and two runs, and Morris and Bowman each tallied a run batted in.
Lynchburg (36-6-1) advances to the ODAC Championship game on Sunday at 1 p.m. and looks to win their third straight ODAC title. The Hornets will face Eastern Mennonite, who, as the #7 seed, has made a Cinderella run to the ODAC title game after defeating #2 seed Bridgewater College 4-3.
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