March 8, 2008

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - (Saturday, March 08, 2008) The Redhawks softball team suffered a tough day down in south Florida on Saturday as they loss both of their games at the Florida Atlantic University Miken Invitational at FAU Softball Stadium. In both games the Redhawks battled back from multiple run deficits to fall by one run.

The Redhawks (8-8) fell in extra innings to Towson State (9-6) after battling back from a 4-0 deficit in their first contest of the day.

The team exploded for three runs in their half of the fourth to cut the deficit to one run. Alex Ramirez (Corona, CA/El Modena) led off the inning with a walk and advanced on a Katie Otterness (Schaumburg, IL/Hoffman Estates) single to the right side. After Ramirez was thrown out at home on a fielders choice. Lauren Bradley (Overland Park, KS/Shawnee Mission South) then singled up the middle to plate Otterness.

Allie Borowiak (Nashville, IL/John A. Logan CC) then recorded an RBI with a groundout that scored Carmen Fowler (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill). Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) then drove in Bradley with a single through the left side to round out the Redhawks scoring in the fourth.

Summers would strike again in the seventh with a solo blast to deep left center to knot the game at four runs apiece.

The Redhawks had first crack at scoring in the extra inning. Pinch runner Lindsey Woodworth (Sparta, IL/Sparta) reached third on a perfect bunt by Stacia Dopudja (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Santa Margarita Catholic). Woodworth tried to score on Jennifer Vasquez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado) grounder to the right side. She was tagged out on a close play at home to end the Redhawks threat.

The Tigers ended the game on a Nina Navarro RBI single down the rightfield line for the final 5-4 score.

Three Redhawks collected multiple hits led by Summers who went 2-4 with two RBIs. Bradley went 2-3 with one RBI and a run scored. Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO/Cape Central) finished 2-4 with a double.

Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North) was credited the loss in relief of Whitney Dupuis (Sulphur, LA/Sulphur) who allowed four runs (three earned) in two laborious innings of work. Fisher went five innings allowing four hits and striking out five.

The Redhawks and host Florida Atlantic University combined for 13 runs and 24 hits including seven doubles. Errors ultimately cost the usually solid defense of the Redhawks.

After the Owls (14-11) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first the Redhawks answered with a lead-off double by Summers. That double by summers moved her into a first place tie with Shelly Trieb and Chris Shetley on the school's all-time career list.

McDonald then singled to left center to plate McDonald. But that was all the Redhawks could muster in the first as they left two runners in scoring position and struggled at the plate for the next four innings.

After the Owls grabbed a 5-1 lead with three runs in the fifth the Redhawks bats awoke for four runs in the sixth. With one out Bradley singled up the middle. Fowler followed her with a double to left center. After Borowiak grounded out Summers made history with her 41st career double. Her two-bagger up the middle scored two. Vasquez then singled to plate Summers to cut the Owls lead to 5-4.

McDonald then singled, moving Vasquez to second. Dopudja then followed with single down the rightfield line to score Vasquez and tie the game at five. With runners at second and third Ramirez flied out to deep center to end the Redhawks rally.

The Owls came back in the seventh to add two more runs and make it a 7-5 game.

The Redhawks made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh as Bradley hit a one-out homer to left field. Fowler followed with a walk but Owls reliever Amber Barton got Borowiak to hit into a 6-3 double-play to end the Redhawks threat and the game, 7-6.

Four Redhawks recorded three-hit games. McDonald went a perfect 3-3 with one RBI. Summers collected her team-leading ninth multi hit game and fifth multi RBI game of the season with a 3-4 two doubles, two RBI game. Bradley went 3-4 as well with one RBI and two runs scored. Dopudja went 3-4 with one RBI.

Fisher (4-5) received the loss after allowing seven runs in her seventh complete game of the season. She struckout seven and issued an uncharacteristic four walks.

With a record of 1-3 in the tournament the Redhawks will now play in the fifth-place game on Sunday against Bethune Cookman who they defeated 4-0 on Friday. That game will take place at 10:00 am (CST) and can be followed live on Gametracker.