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 Lindsey Perry homered, tripled and scored the game-winning run vs. SIUE. |
May 9, 2008
Edwardsville, Ill. - The 21st-ranked Wayne State University softball team (35-16) advanced to the winner's bracket championship game with a 2-1 10-inning victory over seventh-ranked SIU-Edwardsville (46-10) Friday afternoon.
The Cougars won the 2007 national title and entered today's contest with an 19-game winning streak.
Regional host SIUE took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI double by Mallory Ruggles which plated Nicole Beecher. Beecher had a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kaeleigh Rousey. A ground out by Lindsay Longfellow advanced Beecher to third.
The Warriors tied the game at one in the bottom of the sixth as senior first baseman Lindsey Perry (Taylor, Mich./Kennedy) drilled a 1-1 pitch from SIUE hurler Kaitlin Colosimo (27-6) over the left field fence for her 20th career home run.
WSU starter Molly Yetman (Cambridge, Ont.) retired the Cougars in order in the seventh, and after a leadoff walk in the eighth, set down the next three SIUE batters.
In the bottom of the eighth, Jaci Banton (Richmond Hill, Mich.) laced a single off Colosimo's glove. Meredith Boxberger's (Plymouth, Mich.) ground out moved Banton to second. Perry was intentionally walked before the next two Warriors were retired.
SIUE went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the frame, Lisa Seymour (Davison, Mich.) had a one-out single and then beat the throw to second on Sarah Teller's (Chesterfield Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse North) fielder's choice. Stephanie LeClair's (Kitchener, Ont.) ground out advanced both runners and following a walk to Banton, Boxberger flied out to right leaving the bases loaded.
In the top of the 10th, Cougar leadoff batter Courtney Mall had a one-out single but Yetman retired the next two batters.
Perry led off the bottom of the 10th with a triple down the right field line on an 0-1 offering. Following a ground out, Sarah Berry (Acton, Ont.) drilled an 1-2 pitch off the first baseman's glove allowing Perry to score the game-winning run.
The tournament committee has changed the order of brackets with the winner's bracket final now being game 12 instead of the previously indicated game 11. Wayne State will play Ferris State at 2 p.m. Central time on Saturday following the Indianapolis/SIUE-West Virginia Wesleyan winner game at noon. The winner of the noon game will play the loser of the 2 p.m. game at 4 p.m.