 |  |
CHAMPIONS! Furman Softball Tops Georgia Southern To Claim SoCon Title, 3-2
May 12, 2007
Greensboro, N.C. - Amber Kiser's two-out double in the bottom of the ninth plated Danielle Franklin to give Furman a 3-2 victory over Georgia Southern and its first Southern Conference Tournament Championship since 1994 Saturday evening at UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Lady Paladins (21-34-1) earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals scheduled for May 18-20. Furman will find out its opponent and destination when the NCAA announces the 64-team field and 16 regional hosts Sunday on ESPNews between 3-4 p.m.
Robyne Siliga opened the Eagle half of the fourth inning with a single up the middle. The next batter, Samantha Russo, singled to right center to advance the pinch runner, Thweatt to third. After Mackey's third strikeout of the game, Thweatt scored on an error by the Furman catcher on a failed pickoff attempt. Mackey got the next two batters out in order, but not before GSU took a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Furman took advantage of a single by Abby Robertson and a GSU throwing error to put runners on the corners with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. Robertson scored on a sacrifice fly by Jaudon to tie the game at one with one out and a runner on first. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third. Melissa Laliberte struck out the final two batters to end the inning and strand runners on second and third. The two teams entered the fifth inning knotted at one.
Katie Smith walked to start the seventh for the Eagles. A grounder to the pitcher resulted in an out at second and put Heather Smith on first. The Paladins just missed a double play with Elizabeth Branan at the plate as she reached first with two out. Lindsey Hopkins ended the inning on a ground-out to the catcher on a bunt attempt.
In the top of the eighth, Maria Laurato broke the 1-1 tie with her third homer of the season, a solo shot to left center field, giving GSU a 2-1 advantage with no outs in the top of the eighth inning. Mackey got out of the inning with just one run given up as Furman headed to the plate with its last chance to tie or win the game.
Laliberte struck out Blake Murray to start the bottom of the eighth. Kiser legged out a triple to right field and a sacrifice fly by Robertson tied the game at two with two outs in the inning.
After an hour and 28 minute rain delay, the teams continued the game in the top of the ninth. Mackey showed no rust in the circle, striking out Katie Smith to start the ninth inning. The next batter, Michelle Beasley grounded out. Mackey recorded her seventh strikeout of the game, getting Branan out swinging as the Paladins went into their half of the ninth.
The Eagles brought in Logan Free to replace Laliberte in the circle in the ninth. With one out, Free walked Franklin before striking out Lynn Parmer. Free walked Blake Murray on five pitches, bringing the hero of the eighth inning, Kiser, to the plate. With a full count, Kiser blooped a double down the left field line to clinch the SoCon Tournament Championship.
Kiser finished the game 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored. Abby Robertson and Megan Jaudon added the other two RBI for the Paladins. Maria Laurato had the lone RBI for the Eagles as she finished 2-for-4 from the plate.
In her first appearance in the circle this tournament, Lana Mackey picked up the win after giving up two runs on five hits and struck out seven in nine innings. She moved to 9-13 on the season. Logan Free took the loss for GSU after giving up one run on one hit in just 0.2 innings of relief. Melissa Laliberte started the game and gave up two runs and struck out eight in eight innings.
The SoCon tournament championship is the second for Furman, which won the inaugural tournament in 1994 after defeating Georgia Southern, 7-0. The team title is the first under fourth-year head coach Dana Jenkins. The Lady Paladins got revenge after falling to the Eagles last season in the championship game.
The extra-inning game marked just the second time in Southern Conference Softball Tournament History that the championship game went more than seven innings. The only other extra-inning game came in 1996 when Chattanooga defeated Georgia Southern, 4-2 in 11 innings.
Kiser earned tournament most valuable player honors while Blankenship, Stephanie Cushing and Murray earned all-tournament team honors.
Earlier in the day, Georgia Southern forced a second game in the championship round with a 4-1 victory over Furman on Saturday afternoon.
Samantha Russo put the Eagles ahead in the fifth with a two-run homer and Jenny Side stretched the advantage to 4-1 with a two-run blast in the sixth.
Furman struck first in the bottom of the second as Lana Mackey belted her fifth homer of the season to hand the Lady Paladins a 1-0 lead.
A.J. Street earned the victory for Georgia Southern allowing just one run on three hits in 4.1 innings of work. Logan Free tossed 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the save.
Blake Murray (10-17) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in six innings of work.
2007 Southern Conference All-Tournament Team
Brythe Blankenship, Furman
Stephanie Cushing, Furman
Amber Kiser, Furman
Blake Murray, Furman
Maria Laurato, Georgia Southern
Samantha Russo, Georgia Southern
Jenny Side, Georgia Southern
Robyne Siliga, Georgia Southern
Vanessa Oakes, UNC Greensboro
Mendy McKenzie, Western Carolina
Most Outstanding Player: Amber Kiser, Furman
