Box scores not available
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (May 7, 2005) -- Edgewood College (29-14) took two out of three games from Marian College (28-16) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering Athletic Field on Saturday to earn its second consecutive Lake Michigan Conference Tournament Championship. Jen Ley's (Mineral Point, Wis.) two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning of game three plated the winning run, as the Eagles edged Marian by a final score of 5-4 and clinched back-to-back trips to the NCAA Division III Softball Championships.
The Eagles defeated Marian earlier in the day, 5-3, in a make-up of Friday’s postponed semifinal game. The loss knocked the Sabres into the loser’s bracket where they rebounded with a 10-6 victory over Alverno College and as a result, earned a trip into the championship round against the defending tournament champion Edgewood.
With the threat of being eliminated from the double-elimination tournament, second-seeded Marian responded with a convincing 9-4 win over the Eagles to force a second and final match-up versus top-seeded Edgewood.
Marian jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, in which the Sabres took advantage of three defensive errors. The Sabres extended their lead to 3-0 in the top of the third. Edgewood got on the scoreboard in the bottom of half of the third on a two-out, RBI triple by Nichole Johnson (Waunakee, Wis.). The Eagles evened the score with two runs on three hits and a Marian error in the bottom of the fifth and the score would remain knotted at 3-3 through the end of regulation.
The Sabres received a gift in the top of the ninth when a throwing error by the Eagles allowed Kim Rentmeester to score the go-ahead run from second base. But the error bug must have been contagious, however, as two defensive miscues by the Sabres in the bottom half of the frame eventually cost them the championship.
Noelle Wimer (Dodgeville, Wis.) led off the bottom of the ninth by reaching on an error and advancing to second base. Carrie Clum’s (Pomona, Colo.) sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Jessica Courchaine (Marathon, Wis.) over to third base and Courchaine later scored on a single by Jessica Stephens (St. Charles, Ill.) to make the score 4-4. Next, Jennifer Stephens (St. Charles, Ill.) reached on a fielder’s choice, but not before Jessica Stephens safely reached second base. The next batter struck out setting the stage for Ley’s heroic base hit to centerfield, which was mishandled and allowed Jessica Stephens to cross home plate for the game-winner.
The win (29) also ties a single-season record for the Edgewood College softball program. In addition, the Eagles received the LMC’s automatic bid to an NCAA Div. III regional that begins May 13. Game times, regional pairings, and locations of the NCAA tournament will be announced early this week.
