2015 NCAA Softball Tournament: Regionals Day 3 Wrap Up
The second full day of regionals took place on Saturday, May 15 for the 2015 NCAA Division 1 Softball Tournament. It was also the day when a good portion of the field was eliminated from the tournament. Check out the recaps of each game below to see which teams are still in it and which teams are now out of the tournament.
A full recap of Thursday’s action can be found here and all of Friday’s games can be found here.
Note: Games will be added to their respective regional as they are completed.
Gainesville Regional
The top seeded Florida Gators opened Saturday with a comfortable 7-0 win over Hofstra as the Gators put up four runs in the first inning.
A double by Kirsti Merritt set her up to score and she was brought home by Lauren Haeger‘s single to left field. Two batters later, Taylor Fuller crushed a three run shot to make it 4-0 after the first inning for the Gators.
The Gators could not take advantage of runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the second, nor could they take advantage of the same situation in the third with two outs.
The fifth inning provided two more runs for Florida in the form of a two run single by Kelsey Stewart. The Gators tacked on another run in sixth with a solo shot from Bailey Castro to make it 7-0.
Haeger pitched a complete game shutout giving up only three hits and striking out 8 batters.
The Gators are through to Sunday where they await their opponent. Hofstra will take on the winner of Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic on Saturday.
Florida A&M Versus Florida Atlantic Recap
The Florida Atlantic Owls will continue in the NCAA Softball Tournament after defeating Florida A&M 7-2 with a strong offensive showing late in the game.
The Owls had the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but nothing came of that chance. They did, however, put up two runs in the bottom of the second. First it was Lindsey Shell hitting an RBI triple followed by an error from FAMU that allowed Shell to score.
FAMU halved the deficit courtesy of Jessi Nathan‘s solo shot in the top of the third. They tied the game in the top of the fourth with a double by Keny Pereira that drove home Naesha Lewis.
The Owls reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an error from FAMU and then a single by Tatum Buckley that scored Melissa Martinez. Florida A&M had a chance to rally in the top of the sixth with runners on first and second with no outs. The Owls were able to get out of that with no damage.
The Owls did put another three runs on the board. First it was Camesha Thompson hitting an RBI double and then Melissa Martinez drilled a triple to make it 7-2 after six innings.
Florida A&M has been eliminated from the tournament while Florida Atlantic will face Hofstra for the second time later on Saturday. The winner of FAU and Hofstra will play the Florida Gators on Sunday.
Hofstra Versus Florida Atlantic Recap
The Florida Atlantic Owls used a walk-off double by Alex Miller to win 3-2 over Hofstra in nine innings.
FAU had a chance to score early with runners on second and third following a sacrifice bunt, but a strike out and pop out kept them from scoring any runs.
Hofstra was able to strike first with an RBI single by Erin Trippi and then she was able to come home thanks to Megan Patierno‘s double to the gap in right center. That put Hofstra up 2-0 after an inning and a half.
FAU rallied to tie the game at two in the bottom of the third. Christina Martinez ripped a triple to right field that brought one run home and then she was able to score after a wild pitch.
FAU had a chance to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth, but Delaney Rickey was thrown out on a double play at second base. In the seventh, Sarah Howell was called for interference on the base paths to end that inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Owls had runners on first and second with one out when Alex Miller came up and hit a double to right center to give FAU the walk-off win.
Florida Atlantic moves to the Regional Final where they will face the top seeded Florida Gators. FAU will need to win twice to reach the Super Regional.
South Bend Regional
Kentucky moved one step closer to another Super Regional by beating Ball State 5-0 in the first game on Saturday. Kelsey Nunley threw a two hit complete game shutout allowing only one walk and striking out seven batters.
A throwing error in the top of the second allowed Kentucky’s Brooklin Hinz to score and the Wildcats made it 2-0 in the third with a sacrifice bunt by Maisie Steed. The Wildcats could not make it 2-0 in the top of the third when Hinz was thrown out at home trying to score.
A fielding error by Ball State allowed Nikki Sagermann to score and then a two run double by Erin Rethlake made it 5-0. The Wildcats could not add to the lead in the top of the seventh despite loading the bases.
Kentucky will play again on Sunday while Ball State will take on the winner between Notre Dame and Northwestern.
Northwestern Versus Notre Dame Recap
After a shocking loss to Ball State on Friday, Notre Dame crushed Northwestern 14-5 to continue their tournament. A grand slam from Cassidy Whidden and a three for three performance by Katey Haus helped the Irish win with ease.
In the top of the first, Haus started the scoring with an RBI single and then scored herself on an RBI ground out by Morgan Reed. The Irish would add another five runs in the top of the second.
Haus drove in another run via a walk, but it was Whidden’s grand slam in the bottom of the second that really buoyed the Irish. The Wildcats responded tamely with an RBI single from Amy Letourneau, but still trailed 7-1 after two innings.
Three straight RBI hits from the Irish in the third gave them a 10-1 lead. Those three hits came from Emilee Koerner, Haus, and Micaela Arizmendi. The Irish added another three runs in the fourth courtesy of Koerner’s two run single and Haus’ RBI single.
The Irish made it a 14-1 game following Reed’s solo home run and the Wildcats had a small four run rally in the bottom of the fifth. A fielding error by Notre Dame allowed Krista Williams to score and Julia Kuhn hit a three run homer to make it 14-5. However, the game ended after five innings due to the run rule.
Northwestern has been eliminated from the tournament, but Notre Dame will play again on Saturday against Ball State, the same team that defeated them on Friday.
Notre Dame Versus Ball State Recap
Notre Dame continued their offensive momentum with a crushing defeat of Ball State to knock the Cardinals out of the tournament. The Irish won 15-4 over Ball State on Saturday after losing to them on Friday by a score of 6-3.
Emilee Koerner started the scoring with an RBI double in the top the first while Cassidy Whidden crushed a three run shot to make it 4-0 after a half inning. Ball State had a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the first, but could not get the runner home.
The Irish added three more in the second with an RBI double from Koerner, an RBI single from Katey Haus, and a sacrifice fly from Micaela Arizmendi. The Irish made it 8-0 in the top of the fourth when Koerner was brought home by a double from Arizmendi.
The Cardinals put up a four spot of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Selena Reyna doubled down the right field line to bring home two runs, Loren Cihlar had an RBI single up the middle, and Emily Dabkowski had an RBI triple to close the deficit to 8-4.
The Irish responded with a massive seven run output in the top of the fifth. Karley Wester walked to drive home a run and then an error by Reyna allowed three Irish to come home and give them a 12-4 lead. Haus drove home a run, Arizmendi tripled to bring home a run, and Morgan Reed grounded out to bring home the final run for the Irish.
Both Micaela Arizmendi and Cassidy Whidden finished with three runs batted in apiece. Emilee Koerner and Katey Haus had two apiece.
Notre Dame will need to win two games on Sunday against Kentucky, but they certainly have the offensive momentum to do it.
Tallahassee Regional
Florida State used a walk-off triple to prevent the upset by Central Florida on Saturday. Alex Powers hit a triple down the right field line that gave the Seminoles the 2-1 win.
It was hardly an offensive showing in the early and middle portion of the game. Central Florida’s Farrah Sullivan hit a solo shot to give them the 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth while Florida State could not seem to get a runner past second base.
UCF had a chance to make it 2-0 in the top of the sixth after wild pitch, but Sullivan struck out to end that frame. They had the same scenario in the top of the seventh and actually loaded the bases. However, two ground outs still kept it a 1-0 contest.
The bottom of the seventh began with Maddie O’Brien crushing a solo shot as the lead off batter to tie the game at 1. After a walk by Jessica Warren, Powers came up and hit a triple that brought home Warren and give the Seminoles the victory.
Florida State has now advanced to the Championship round of the regional on Sunday where they will need only 1 victory to be in the Super Regional next weekend. UCF drops to the loser’s bracket and will now face the winner of the Dartmouth and South Carolina game later on Saturday.
Dartmouth Versus South Carolina Recap
South Carolina took an early lead against Dartmouth and held on for the 3-1 victory to stave off elimination for the time being.
An early double by Victoria Williams allowed Ansley Ard to advance to third and score on an error by Dartmouth to take a 1-0 lead. Williams then scored when Kaylea Snaer singled up the middle to double the lead at 2-0 after one.
In the bottom of the third, Alaynie Page led off with a double and eventually scored on Williams’ single to right field. The Gamecocks led 3-0 after three, but could not add anymore runs in their final three innings at the plate.
Dartmouth grabbed a run in the top with Karen Chaw‘s single to left field that brought home Katie McEachern. However, Julia Sarratt shut the door in the sixth and seventh to allow South Carolina to survive. Sarratt went all seven innings giving up only one run, five hits, no walks, and striking out two Dartmouth batters.
South Carolina will now face Central Florida later on Saturday in another elimination game. The winner of that contest will face Florida State on Sunday needing two victories to make the Super Regionals.
Central Florida Versus South Carolina Recap
The final game on Saturday from Tallahassee saw Central Florida defeat South Carolina for a second time in this regional to make the Championship Round on Sunday. UCF won 5-2 to eliminate South Carolina.
South Carolina took the lead in the bottom of the third with some smart base running by Ansley Ard. She stole second after a walk and then scored on a single by Kaylea Snaer.
UCF came right back in the top of the fourth to put up a five spot. With the bases loaded and one out, Samantha McCloskey single up the middle to drive on run home, Courtney Rotton hit a two run single, and Linnea Goodman provided another two run single to make it 5-1.
Snaer hit a single up the middle to get one back for South Carolina, but that is as close as the Gamecocks would get.
Central Florida will need to beat Florida State twice on Sunday to reach the Super Regional round.
Knoxville Regional
Tennessee run ruled Utah on Saturday to send the Utes into the loser’s bracket with a 9-1 victory. Megan Geer and Lexi Overstreet combined for six runs batted in to help the Volunteers into the championship round of their regional.
The Volunteers used a series of three walks and a single to drive in a run. Geer’s walk brought home Scarlet McSwain to make it 1-0 in the second inning. Overstreet hit a two run blast in the third inning to make it 3-0.
Utah scored their lone run in the top of the fourth with Anissa Urtez‘s double down the left field line that scored Shelbi Everett. Tennessee countered with a two run double by Geer in the bottom of the fourth and then another RBI walk, this one from Taylor Koenig. The Volunteers led 6-1 after four innings.
Meghan Gregg‘s two run double in the fifth inning made it 8-1 and Overstreet’s double to center field ended the game as Gregg scored the final run in the 9-1 victory.
Tennessee will not play again Saturday and await whoever emerges in the final two games on Saturday. Utah will face the winner between Longwood and Virginia Tech later on Saturday.
Longwood Versus Virginia Tech Recap
Longwood produced an extra innings upset of Virginia Tech to eliminate the Hokies and continue their own tournament. Longwood won 6-4 in eight innings.
Longwood started brilliantly by drawing two walks that drove in a run each and an RBI single between those walks from Glenn Walters. Longwood led 3-0 after the first and held onto that lead for quite a while.
In the top of the fifth, it was Walters again with an RBI single to make it 4-0, but the Hokies responded in the bottom of the frame. It started with back to back solo home runs from Katey Smith and Kelsey Mericka. After a walk by Jessie Mehr, Bailey Liddle hit an RBI double to right center to make it a 4-3 deficit. Two batters later, Lauren Gaskill singled home the runner and tied the game at 4.
In the top of the eighth, Longwood was able to get runners on second and third with no outs. A triple by Justina Augustine brought those two home to make it 6-4. Longwood was able to close it out in the bottom half to win.
Longwood will play again on Saturday night against Utah with the loser eliminated. The winner of that game will face Tennessee on Sunday.
Utah Versus Longwood Recap
Utah bounced back from a loss to Tennessee earlier on Saturday to defeat Longwood 2-0 in an elimination game. The duo of Sammy Cordova and Katie Donovan allowed only three hits, two walks, and struck out 7 batters in the victory.
Anissa Urtez had a single to right field and then stole second base. She was able to score after being aided by an error from Longwood’s Glenn Walters. Walters attempted to atone for her mistake by getting a walk and eventually ending up on third, however, she was not able to score.
Walters was again in the thick of it during the bottom of the fourth inning. She was hit by a pitch and then was able to get to third on a single by Carly Adams, but she stretched her luck too much and was thrown out at home on the same play.
The Utes were able to double their advantage in the sixth inning with a Mariah Ramirez single that scored Kristen Stewart. That would be enough as Longwood only finished with one runner on base in the final two innings.
Longwood has been eliminated while Utah will need to beat Tennessee twice on Sunday to make the Super Regionals. Utah was unable to beat Tennessee on Saturday in a 9-1 loss.
Baton Rouge Regional
LSU had a quick turnaround from their late game on Friday night and it turned out to be Arizona State who topped them to send the Tigers into the loser’s bracket. The Sun Devils hung on for a slim 1-0 win.
ASU started well in the first inning getting the lone run of the game in that frame. A walk by Sierra Rodriguez and single from Chelsea Gonzales had runners on first and second. With one out Amber Freeman was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Haley Steele then came up and singled home Rodriguez to make it 1-0. Two fly outs limited the damage to just a single run.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the first with runners on second and third with one out, but a strike out and pop out prevented them from tying the game.
The Sun Devils had a chance to pad their slim margin in the top of the fifth. They had the bases loaded again with one out, but two foul outs ended that opportunity. The Tigers had a chance to tie in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on third and two outs, but could not get the game tying run across home plate.
ASU’s Breanna Macha pitched a complete game shutout giving up four hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
The Sun Devils will play in the Regional championship while LSU will await the winner between between Texas Southern and Nebraska in an elimination game.
Texas Southern Versus Nebraska Recap
It was not as bad as Friday night’s 15-0 loss, but Texas Southern was eliminated on Saturday after a 5-0 loss to Nebraska. Nebraska’s Kaylan Jablonski threw a complete game shutout giving up only two hits, one walk, and striking out 7 batters.
An early triple from Kiki Stokes was parlayed into a one run lead after MJ Knighten brought her home with a single to right field in the bottom of the first.
The Huskers had a chance to tack on more runs in the bottom of the second, but they could not take advantage of runners on second and third with one out.
The fourth inning saw another triple by the Huskers with Laura Barrow having the honors. She scored with a bunt single from Knighten to make it 2-0.
The sixth inning saw Knighten bring home her third run of the day following Barrow’s double earlier in the inning. Steph Pasquale cleared the bases with her two run shot that made it 5-0.
Nebraska will take on LSU in the third game on Saturday with the loser eliminated. The winner will play Arizona State on Sunday.
Nebraska Versus LSU Recap
It was not easy, but the fifth national seed LSU Tigers defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-2 in 10 innings to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament.
The scoring started in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI single by LSU’s Sandra Simmons that scored Bianka Bell. Nebraska answered right back in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice fly by Alicia Armstrong that scored Kiki Stokes.
Both teams had runners in scoring position in the fifth inning, but nothing came from either chance. After that, the teams could not find their offensive rhythm until the tenth inning.
With one out, Bailey Landry walked and then moved up to second on fielder’s choice that did not produce an out. She was driven home by Kellsi Kloss on a single and Kloss scored on a single herself two batters later when Sahvanna Jaquish hit the ball to left field.
The Cornhuskers were able to get to the LSU starting pitcher Allie Walljasper in the bottom of the tenth. After Laura Barrow singled home Gina Metzler, the Tigers went to Carley Hoover who shut the door and got the final two outs.
LSU eliminated Nebraska, but will need to beat Arizona State twice on Sunday if they want to host a Super Regional. ASU defeated LSU in the first game on Saturday by a score of 1-0.
Tucson Regional
Arizona took care of business against Minnesota 5-1 on Saturday to make the Tucson Regional Championship to be played on Sunday.
The Wildcats got on top first with a solo shot from Kaityana Mauga in the bottom of the second. The Gophers had a chance in the top of the third and took advantage of it. With runners on the corners, Danielle Parlich grounded out, but that was enough to score Erika Rozell and make it a 1-1 game.
The Wildcats took the lead back with a bases loaded walk from Chelsea Goodacre that scored Hallie Wilson. The Gophers had runners on the corners with one out in the top of the fourth, but the Wildcats played well defensively to make sure they did not tie the game at 2 apiece.
In the fifth inning, Arizona got some much needed breathing room with an RBI single from Goodacre and then later on an RBI ground out from Mo Mercado. That made it 4-1 after five innings. The Wildcats added another in the bottom of the sixth via Kellie Fox‘s infield single.
Minnesota will play the winner of the St. John’s and New Mexico State game later on Saturday. The loser of the final two games on Saturday will be eliminated from the tournament.
St. John’s Versus New Mexico State Recap
An exciting game between St. John’s and New Mexico State saw the Aggies defeat the Red Storm 9-6 in an elimination game. The quartet of Rachel Rodriguez, Fiana Finau, Kelsey Dodd, and Malena Padilla accounted for all nine runs batted in for New Mexico State.
The Red Storm opened the game with a two run single from Yvonne Rericha. The Aggies were able to get a run back on a single from Finau that left the game with a 2-1 score after an inning.
The Aggies took their first lead of the game in the second with Rodriguez hitting a two run double. The Red Storm tied the game at three in the top of the third with a solo home run by Erin Burner. St. John’s was able to reclaim the lead in the top of the fourth following an RBI triple from Hannah Anderson. The Red Storm led 4-3 after four innings.
In the top of the fifth, Anderson hit a single for St. John’s, but Lexi Robles was thrown out at home to keep it a one run game. The Aggies responded in the bottom half of the inning with back to back two run hits. First it was Dodd with a two run double and that was followed up with a two run single by Padilla. The Aggies left 7-4 after five innings.
NMSU made it a five run game in the sixth inning with a two run single from Finau. The Red Storm got a two run blast from Mackenna Neuroth to climb within three runs, but that would be all they could muster in their final frame.
St. John’s has been eliminated while New Mexico State will play Minnesota in a second game on Saturday. NMSU lost to the Gophers 10-2 on Friday.
Minnesota Versus New Mexico State Recap
A solid pitching performance by Sara Groenewegen helped Minnesota reach the Tucson Regional Final. The Gophers defeated New Mexico State and eliminated the Aggies from the tournament with a 2-0 win.
Minnesota head coach Jessica Allister was ejected in the top of the second, but that did not seem to affect the Gophers. A double by Danielle Parlich in the top of the third scored Sam Macken to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, Parlich again was the culprit with a single up the middle to score Erica Meyer and make it a 2-0 lead. The Aggies had a runner on third with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, but a strike out by Fiana Finau ended the inning.
The Aggies had one final chance in the bottom of the seventh. The managed to load the bases with only one out, but Groenewegen settled down and struck out Malena Padilla and Dallas McBride to finish off the game.
Minnesota will face Arizona in the Regional Final, but will need to wins to make the Super Regionals.
Lafayette Regional
Louisiana-Lafayette was not phased too much from a late game on Friday night/Saturday morning as they were able to win 3-1 over Baylor.
Baylor took the lead in the top of the second on a bases loaded single from Robin Landrith to make it 1-0. The Bears had runners on second and third an inning later, but a foul out ended that prime opportunity. The Bears tried to small ball their way to another run in the fourth with a similar scenario, but a fly out ended that chance as well.
The Ragin’ Cajuns broke through in the bottom of the fifth. A sacrifice bunt by Kelli Martinez moved runners to second and third before an error brought home one run. Lexie Elkins sacrificed another run home, but Haley Hayden was caught trying to tag up to second. Still, Louisiana led 2-1 after five innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Aleah Craighton hit a single to right field that scored Leandra Maly and make it a 3-1 game. Baylor would go down one, two, three in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Louisiana-Lafayette will have 24 hours to rest up from their long day on Friday/Saturday morning while Baylor is awaiting the winner of Weber State versus Mississippi State.
Weber State Versus Mississippi State Recap
Weber State and Mississippi State started and managed to get through the top fourth before being delayed by weather. The game has been pushed back to Sunday to Noon Central Time on Sunday.
TBD Versus Baylor
The Lafayette Regional was supposed to see three games completed on Saturday, but the delaying of Weber State and Mississippi State will also move the third game to Sunday. The winner between those two teams will face Baylor.
Auburn Regional
A defensive affair between Auburn and South Alabama went to the Tigers by a score of 1-0. The two teams combined for a total of three hits in the entire game.
South Alabama’s lone hit of the game came in the top of the first when Stephanie Pilkington singled to shortstop after a walk by Emily Messer and a ground out by Kaleigh Todd. The Jaguars had runners on the corner with two outs, but another ground out ended their chance in the first.
Auburn did not get their first hit until the fourth inning with Emily Carosone‘s single to right field. That did not lead to anything as both teams continued to struggle on offense.
Haley Fagan‘s solo shot in the bottom of the fifth ended up being the difference. She took a 2-1 pitch and put past the left field wall to make it 1-0.
The Jaguars had a chance in the top of the sixth trying to play small ball. Todd walked and was then able to get to third on a ground out and sacrifice fly, but Kaitlyn Griffith‘s foul out to the catcher ended their final chance of the game.
Auburn’s Marcy Harper pitched a complete game shutout going the entire seven innings giving up one hit, four walks, and striking out three batters.
Auburn will play again on Sunday sitting only one win away from the Super Regionals. South Alabama will play again on Saturday against the winner of the Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga game.
Tennessee Tech Versus Chattanooga Recap
Tennessee Tech crushed Chattanooga 8-2 on Saturday to keep their tournament hopes alive. Bayli Cruse went 3 of 4 with two RBI including a solo home run for Tennessee Tech.
The Golden Eagles took the lead in the top of the first with a solo homer by Angi Sakamoto. The Eagles made it 3-0 following Sabrie Neeb‘s two run single while Chattanooga was able to get one run back with Sarah Beth Roberts hitting an infield single to make it 3-1.
The Eagles responded with a three run fourth inning. Madison Taylor walked in a run, Cortney Fry singled one run home, and Sakamoto had a sacrifice fly to bring the lead up to 6-1.
Cruse came through in the top of the fifth to have an RBI single that allowed the lead to go up to 7-1. The Eagles could not add to the tally in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded and no outs. Cruse crushed a solo shot in the top of the seventh to make it 8-1 before the Mocs made it 8-2 in the bottom of the seventh with Criket Blanco walking home a run.
Tennessee Tech will face South Alabama on Saturday in a second elimination game. The winner of that contest will face Auburn on Sunday.
South Alabama Versus Tennessee Tech Recap
A four RBI game from Amanda Minahan buoyed South Alabama against Tennessee Tech as they beat the Eagles 9-3 in an elimination contest.
Both teams got on the board in the first inning. Emily Messer scored on an illegal pitch in the top of the first for South Alabama, while Hannah Eldridge hit an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to score Sabrie Neeb for Tennessee Tech.
Tennessee Tech took the lead in the bottom of the second with a lead off homer from Olivia Bennett. Neeb later singled home Cortney Fry to make it 3-1 after two innings, but it would be all South Alabama for the rest of the game.
The Jaguars rallied to tie the game in fourth inning. It started with a solo shot by Minahan and then continued with Haleigh Lowe‘s RBI single to right field that scored Blair Johnson.
After a weather delay in the top of the fifth, the Jaguars reclaimed the lead. A wild pitch allowed Kaleigh Todd to score and that was followed up by another delay later in the inning. After a second resumption in the inning, Blair Johnson singled home Gwen Jones to make it 5-3.
In the sixth inning, South Alabama added four more runs. Minahan hit a three run triple to make it 8-3 and then scored on a wild pitch.
South Alabama will face Auburn on Sunday in the Regional Final needing two wins against the fourth overall seed.
Ann Arbor Regional
Michigan used another run rule game to defeat California 9-1 to make the Ann Arbor Regional Championship on Sunday.
The Bears took a 1-0 lead with a lead off home run from Danielle Henderson in the top of the second. The Wolverines responded in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Tera Blanco to tie the game at 1.
The Wolverines took the lead with a solo home run from none other than Sierra Romero in the bottom of the third. Michigan broke the game wide open in the fourth. It began with a two run shot from Aidan Falk and then Sierra Lawrence did the same three batters later. Kelly Christner made it a third home run in the inning with a solo blast and Michigan led 7-1 just like that.
The game ended in the bottom of the sixth with a two run double by Lauren Sweet that drove home Kelsey Susalla and Romero.
The Wolverines are now one win away from hosting a Super Regional next weekend. California will face the winner of the Oakland and Pittsburgh game on Saturday.
Oakland Versus Pittsburgh Recap
The first elimination game of the Ann Arbor Regional saw Pittsburgh beat a pesky Oakland team 6-3. Maggie Sevilla had a three for four day with two runs scored to help the Panthers win.
Oakland was ready for this game early. A sacrifice fly by Sarah Hartley gave them a 1-0 lead, but that was followed up by a two run blast from Sara Cupp to make it 3-0 after the top of the first.
Pittsburgh was able to get two runs back from a two run shot to left field by McKayla Taylor. Both teams settled down on offense while Pittsburgh had another chance in the fourth. The Panthers loaded the bases, but could not get a runner home to tie the game.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Panthers loaded the bases again, but this time made Oakland pay. Oakland’s catcher was called for interference to bring one run home and then Kaitlin Manuel singled home two more runs to take a 5-3 lead after five innings.
A single by Jenna Modic allowed Erin Hershmann to score and take a 6-3 lead. Oakland was able to get a one out single in the top of the seventh, but a strike out and foul out ended the game.
Pittsburgh will face California for the second time in this regional in a late game on Saturday. The loser of the Pittsburgh and California game is eliminated.
California Versus Pittsburgh Recap
Pittsburgh’s Jenna Modic hit a grand slam that lifted the Panthers to a 6-3 win over California in an elimination game. The Panthers had lost 11-3 on Friday to California.
In the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead on McKayla Taylor‘s sacrifice fly, a lead they held until the top of the fourth inning. There it was Cal’s Cheyenne Cordes who hit a lead off home run and a single by Alleah Laxamana that put the Bears up 2-1.
In the decisive fifth inning, Pittsburgh loaded the bases with singles by Kathryn Duran and Shelby Pickett while Maggie Sevilla walked to load the bases. Up next was Modic who crushed a 1-0 pitch to right center field that gave the Panthers a 5-2 lead. A double from Carly Thea made it 6-2 after five innings.
Cal clawed one run back in the top of the seventh on a ground out by Cordes, but the game ended two batters later.
Pittsburgh will face Michigan on Sunday needing to win two games again in one day against the Wolverines.
Athens Regional
Western Kentucky and Georgia decided one game was not enough so they decided to play two. The Hilltoppers won in a 14 inning marathon game against the Bulldogs 2-1.
Georgia scored in the top of the fourth with back to back doubles Sydni Emanuel and Alex Hugo to make it 1-0. WKU eventually tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a lead off solo shot by Brooke Holloway and then got a double from Larissa Franklin. She could not advance as the next batter struck out to send the game into extra innings.
The Bulldogs had a chance in the top of the 11th when Emanuel singled up the middle and Hugo walked to put runners on first and second. However, the next two batters struck out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 14th, the Hilltoppers started the frame with a single from Preslie Cruce and then a sacrifice bunt by Dani Pugh to move Cruce to second base. The third batter was Carleigh Chaumont who doubled to left field and ended the game as Cruce came home.
Both pitchers did well in the marathon game. Chelsea Wilkinson pitched 13 1/3 innings giving up two runs, nine hits, and two walks. She struck out 15 Hilltoppers in the loss.
WKU’s Miranda Kramer pitched all 14 innings giving up only one run, five hits, and six walks. She struck out 19 Bulldogs.
Georgia will drop into the loser’s bracket and wait for the winner of the Central Connecticut State and North Carolina game. Western Kentucky will have some time to recover from the 14 innings as they do not play again until Sunday.
Central Connecticut State Versus North Carolina Recap
North Carolina sent Central Connecticut State home from the 2015 NCAA Softball Tournament with an 8-0 win in a run rule shortened game.
The Tar Heels used a double steal of second and home to grab the early lead in the top of the first. Jenna Kelly had an RBI single and another run scored on a fielding error by CCSU. The Tar Heels led 3-0 after one inning.
Kelly hit a lead off solo shot in the top of the third and then North Carolina poured it on with four runs in the fourth. Kelly produced yet another excellent at bat with a two run double and that was followed up by a two run single from Kendra Lynch.
North Carolina will face Georgia in the third game on Saturday in another elimination the game. The team that comes out of that game will face Western Kentucky on Sunday.
North Carolina Versus Georgia Recap
After blowing a one run lead in the top of the seventh, Georgia’s Alex Hugo rescued the Bulldogs with a crushing blast in the bottom of the seventh to put Georgia in the Regional Final. Georgia won 6-5 in an exciting contest.
Georgia took the lead 1-0 in the first inning with a double by Tina Iosefa that scored Hugo. Georgia doubled the lead in the second with an RBI single from Niaja Griffin.
The Tar Heels fought back in the top of the fourth. A throwing error Georgia’s Anna Swafford allowed two runs to score and Kati Causey had an RBI single up the middle to give North Carolina the 3-2 lead.
The Tar Heels made it 4-2 with a solo shot by Kristen Brown in the top of the fifth, but Georgia would not go away. The scoring started with an RBI from Iosefa on a hit by pitch, but Swafford was able to atone for her mistake with a two run single. The Bulldogs led 5-4 after five innings.
In the top of the seventh, Jenna Kelly was facing an 0-2 count with two outs when she jacked a solo home run to left center to tie the game at 7. In the bottom of the inning, Hugo came up as the lead of hitter and she destroyed her 1-2 pitch to give Georgia the 6-5 win.
Georgia has survived, but they will face Western Kentucky on Sunday. The Bulldogs will need to beat WKU twice on Sunday and lost to them on Saturday in the marathon 14 inning game to start the day.
Norman Regional
The Oklahoma Sooners rallied from a two run deficit to defeat former Big 12 rival Texas A&M 7-5 to move into the Norman Regional Championship on Sunday.
The Aggies started with a lead off home run from Tori Vidales and the Sooners answered back in the bottom of the first. RBI singles from Kady Self and Georgia Casey allowed the Sooners to lead 2-1 after the first inning.
The Aggies reclaimed the lead in the top of the second. Kristen Cuyos tied the game with a solo shot and Vidales later hit a two run double to make it 4-2. The Sooners cut the deficit in half with Lauren Chamberlain hitting a solo shot of her own and trailed 4-3 after two innings.
In the top of the third, the solo home run theme continued courtesy of Breanna Dozier. The Sooners cut the deficit to one run again in the bottom of the sixth via Casey’s solo shot.
It was in the bottom of the seventh that the Sooners crushed the Aggies’ hopes of pulling the upset. An error by the Aggies’ Erica Russell allowed Nicole Pendley to score and tie the game at 5 apiece. Two batters later, Erin Miller hit a two run blast to right field for the walk off victory.
The Sooners will play again on Sunday while the Aggies are relegated to the loser’s bracket where they will face the winner of the Central Arkansas and Lehigh game on Saturday.
Central Arkansas Versus Lehigh Recap
Lehigh eliminated Central Arkansas following a 3-0 win on Saturday. Christine Campbell went 6 2/3 innings giving up only four hits, two walks, and striking out two batters.
Lehigh was able to score in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Vicky Lattanzio. They had a chance to extend the lead following a two out triple in the second, but that ended with a ground out.
In the fourth inning, Jessica Calvini hit a triple with one out and was able to score after a throwing error by Central Arkansas’ Hayley Parker. The score stood at 2-0 after five innings in favor of Lehigh.
Ashley Boswell double with one out for UCA, but a pop out and ground out prevented her from scoring. Meanwhile, Lehigh made it 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth after a sacrifice bunt by Lattanzio.
UCA was able to put runners on the corner in the top of the seventh, but could not muster a run. Central Arkansas has been eliminated while Lehigh will face Texas A&M on Saturday.
Texas A&M Versus Lehigh Recap
This game was delayed by weather with Texas A&M leading 4-0 after three innings. This game will be finished starting at Noon Central Time.
Tuscaloosa Regional
Alabama had a strong outing on with the run rule in effect in their 9-0 win over Washington. Alexis Osorio threw a complete game shutout giving up only 1 hit and striking out 9 batters.
Alabama started the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Marisa Runyon and then added four more in the second. Danae Hays hit a lead off home run, Demi Turner had a sacrifice fly, and Haylie McCleney hit a two run shot to make it 5-0 after two innings.
The Crimson Tide made it 9-0 after four innings with a grand slam by Runyon and the Tide just cruised in the top of the fifth to end the game early.
Alabama will play again on Sunday while Washington will face the winner of the Fairfield-South Carolina Upstate game later on Saturday.
Fairfield Versus South Carolina Upstate Recap
South Carolina Upstate rebounded from a loss on Friday to crush Fairfield 9-0 on Saturday. Fairfield has been eliminated from the tournament.
The Spartans loaded the bases against Fairfield in the bottom of the first before an out was even recorded. An RBI single from Karla Beasley and a sacrifice fly from Cheyenne Griffin made it 2-0. Kendall Settlemyre doubled down the right field line to give Upstate the 3-0 lead after one inning.
Upstate took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Aly Schneider doubled home Lindsey Greeson.
The Spartans put up a 5 spot in the bottom of the sixth to finish off Fairfield. Kaitlyn Jaeger scored on a throwing error, Schneider hit a two run triple, and Shellie Robinson hit a two run homer to end the game early on the run rule.
South Carolina Upstate is not done playing on Saturday. They will face Washington later in the day to determine who will play on Sunday against Alabama.
South Carolina Upstate Versus Washington Recap
For the second time in two days, the Washington Huskies defeated South Carolina Upstate. This time Washington won 9-1 in five innings and eliminated the Spartans.
The Huskies never looked in danger of losing as they began the bottom of the first with a lead of home run by Kylee Lahners. A triple by Casey Stangel also brought home a run to make it 2-0 Washington after one inning.
The Huskies had another lead off homer in the second, this one from Kelli Suguro while Stangel added a two run shot in the third to give them a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Aly Schneider doubled and then scored on an RBI single by Shellie Robinson for the Spartans. They still trailed 6-1 going into the bottom of the fifth.
Taylor Van Zee had an RBI single up the middle in the fourth to make it 6-1. There was a third lead off home run by Washington in the fifth with Kimberlee Souza getting the honors this time. An RBI bunt by Trysten Melhart made it 8-1 and Lahners’ sacrifice fly that scored Aubert ended the game.
Washington will face Alabama on Sunday needing two wins to make the Super Regionals.
Los Angeles Regional
UCLA began their Saturday with a victory over Texas by a score of 4-1. They will play on Sunday needing just one win to make the Super Regional.
Texas tried to take it to the Bruins early in the game. The Longhorns loaded the bases with two outs, but Kelli Hanzel fouled out to end that scoring chance. The Bruins capitalized early when their opponents could not. Stephany LaRosa smashed a two run shot to make it 2-0 after one inning.
The Longhorns had another chance in the second, but Randel Leahy was caught trying to steal home. Texas did get one run back via Erin Shireman‘s RBI single to left field, but that was immediately canceled out when Delaney Spaulding hit lead off solo shot in the bottom of the third to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead.
The Bruins added another run with a second lead off solo shot in the bottom of the sixth thanks to Maddy Jalenicki.
The Longhorns will play again on Saturday night against the winner of the Cal State Northridge and San Diego State game.
Cal State Northridge Versus San Diego State Recap
An RBI single in the bottom of the sixth allowed San Diego State to defeat Cal State Northridge 5-4 in an elimination game on Saturday.
Northridge scored first on a wild pitch that brought home Taylor Glover in the top of the first. They extended the lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly from Ariana Wassmer in the top of the third.
The Aztecs came roaring back in the bottom of the third first with an RBI single by Leia Ruiz and then a three run shot by Lorena Bauer that gave them a 4-2 lead after three.
Northridge pushed across a third run in the fourth with a bunt by Carissa Sherman that scored Kaitlin Toerner. In the fifth, C. Horne crushed a ball into left field to tie game at four and set up a tense finish.
In the bottom half of the sixth, the Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs. The next batter was Samantha Camello who flew out to left field and Jacki Campa was thrown out at home to keep the game tied. After a walk by Ruiz, Bauer singled to right field and that gave San Diego State the 5-4 lead.
San Diego State held on for the 5-4 victory and will play Texas for a second time in this regional on Saturday evening. The winner of that game will face UCLA in the regional final on Sunday.
Texas Versus San Diego State Recap
A close game from start to finish, the San Diego State Aztecs came away with the 4-3 victory in walk-off fashion in nine innings. Taylor Stewart solo shot to right field put the Aztecs in the Regional Final.
Texas had an opportunity in the top of the first to take the lead, but Stephanie Wong was thrown out at home to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, SDSU was able to take a 1-0 lead on Kayla Jordan‘s RBI single up the middle that allowed Hayley Miles to score. The Longhorns were able to put runners on second and third in the top of the fourth, but a fly out ended their chance.
In the top of the sixth, the Longhorns finally put runs on the board. Devon Tunning hit a bomb to center field to give them the 2-1 lead, but that was countered in the bottom of the sixth by Jenavee Peres with her home run. After six innings the game was tied at 2.
Erin Shireman provided Texas with a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh with her own solo shot, but that was not enough. Miles hit a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 3 for the Aztecs and send the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, Stewart was the first batter to the plate and she jacked a home to right field on a 1-1 pitch. That sent the Aztecs to the Regional Final to face Arizona on Sunday.
Columbia Regional
The first game of the Columbia Regional went to the hosts in Missouri with a 5-3 win over Kansas. Kelsea Roth‘s two run double in the fifth inning was the difference.
Kansas took the lead in the top of the first with Chanin Naudin hitting a two out, two run shot to left field. Missouri responded in kind with a two run homer from Sami Fagan to leave the game knotted at two after the first frame.
The Jayhawks reclaimed the lead at 3-2 following a solo home run from Daniella Chavez in the top of the third.
In the fifth inning, Missouri was able to tie the score at three following an RBI single up the middle from Amanda Sanchez. After a stolen base by Kayla Kingsley, Roth came up and drove home two runs to take a 5-3 lead after five innings.
Kansas tried to mount one last rally in the top of the seventh. The Jayhawks had runners on first and second, but a ground out ended the game.
Missouri will play in the Championship round on Sunday while Kansas awaits the Indiana State and Louisville victory on Saturday.
Indiana State Versus Louisville Recap
Seven innings were not enough for Indiana State and Louisville to even score a run, let alone decide the winner, but it was the Sycamores who won 2-1 in eight innings.
There was little in the way of offense with neither team putting a runner beyond second base in the first seven innings. Indiana State was only able to muster one hit in the first seven innings and that came in fifth. Louisville had more success with five hits in the first seven innings, but they could not threaten beyond an occasional runner on second.
In the top of the eighth, Mallory Schneid doubled with one out to get into scoring position. She later scored on a single by Kassie Brown to left field before a passed ball put runners on second and third with one out. A ground ball by Rylee Holland scored Brown, but Alexa Cavin got greedy and was thrown out at home. ISU still led 2-0 going into the bottom of the eighth.
Louisville was able to get one back with Kelsi Jones hitting a solo shot to center field. That would not be enough as the Cards popped out and ground out to lose 2-1.
Indiana State eliminated Louisville, but will play another game on Saturday. They will face Kansas in another elimination game. The winner will face Missouri on Sunday in the Regional Final.
Kansas Versus Indiana State Recap
Kansas used a complete game shutout from pitcher Alicia Pille to win 2-0 over Indiana State in an elimination game. Pille gave up only two hits, allowed two walks, and struck out 7 batters
It was a very defensive game between the two teams with neither team being shaky in the field. The Jayhawks had runners on first and second in the top of the third, but a strike out ended the inning. The Sycamores had a similar scenario in the bottom of the fourth inning, but a ground out ended that chance.
The only runs in the game came in the top of the sixth. A single by Daniella Chavez and walk to Chanin Naudin put runners on first and second. After a ground to first moved the runners up, Jessie Roane hit a double down the left field line to drive them both home and give Kansas the 2-0 lead.
The Sycamores could not get a runner on base to even give them faint hope of a comeback. Kansas will face Missouri on Sunday in the Columbia Regional Final. They will need two wins to make the Super Regional and upset their bitter rival.
Harrisonburg Regional
North Carolina State put the clamps down on James Madison to win 2-0 behind a one hit shutout by Emily Weiman.
A lightning strike delayed the game for over an hour in the second inning while the Wolfpack put up their two runs in the top of the third. A double by Alyssa Compton and a walk Renada Davis put runners on first and second with no outs. Compton later scored after a throwing error and Meredith Burroughs singled home the other run.
James Madison was unable to put in a serious rally and could not close the deficit. They will play again on Saturday against the winner of Binghamton and Fordham.
Binghamton Versus Fordham Recap
Fordham made quick work of Binghamton with a run rule shortened game. Fordham won 8-0 in five innings.
Lindsay Mayer hit a two run shot in the bottom of the first while the bottom of the third produced an RBI single from Mayer and a sacrifice fly from Kayla Lombardo.
The fourth inning was even better for the Rams. Amy Van Hoven singled up the middle to bring home one run, but a throwing error by Binghamton allowed a second run to score as well. Mayer concluded her big game with a two run RBI on a single up the middle.
Mayer finished the game going three for three with three RBI and two runs scored. Rachel Gillen went five innings while allowing two hits and 1 walk for Fordham. She also struck out six batters.
Fordham will face the regional hosts James Madison in another elimination game later on Saturday. The winner of that contest will play North Carolina State on Sunday.
James Madison Versus Fordham Recap
This game will resume at 10:30 AM Eastern Time with Fordham leading James Madison 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning.
Eugene Regional
Oregon became the first team to punch their ticket to the Super Regionals with a 6-1 victory over North Dakota State.
The Ducks got a two run homer from Hailey Decker in the top of the first to grab a 2-0 lead quickly. The Ducks had runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the second, but the rest of the order went down without a run coming across for Oregon.
In the top of the third, Lauren Lindvall was able to single to right field that brought home Janie Takeda. The Ducks continued to pour it on in the fifth with a two run double by Lindvall to make it 5-0. Takeda hit a solo shot in the top of the sixth to make it 6-0 and the Bison scored their lone run in the bottom of the seventh after an RBI single from Amanda Grable.
Oregon will be at home next weekend for the Super Regionals. They will play the winner of the Harrisonburg Regional in the best of three format.