ST. GEORGE – No. 1-ranked Butler went down, but Utah’s own Salt Lake Community College stayed undefeated at the NJCAA National Tournament at The Canyons softball complex Thursday.
Butler (Kan.) was upset by Wallace State (Ala). early in the day and bounced back in an elimination game. Meanwhile, SLCC continues to look strong as the tourney’s second seed. Two other teams remain unbeaten heading into Friday: Chipola out of Florida and Pima out of Arizona. Here’s a wrap-up of the day:
#8 Wallace State CC 8, #1 Butler CC 6
Eighth-seeded Wallace State (AL) Community College pulled off the first big upset of the 2013 NJCAA Division I Women’s Softball National Championship tournament as the Lions upended top-ranked and No. 1-overall seed Butler (KS) CC, 8-6 in the championship bracket quarterfinal Thursday afternoon at the Canyons Complex. Wallace State (52-11) will advance to the championship bracket semifinal to face Pima (AZ) CC Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
The Lions never trailed in the contest, using a pair of two-run frames en route to a 5-1 lead through the first four innings. Wallace State added to its lead with two runs in the sixth, but Butler countered with two runs of its own in the home half of the frame to stay within striking distance at 7-3.
#2 Salt Lake CC 10, #10 Weatherford College 2 (5 inn.)
Second-seeded Salt Lake used a 10-hit barrage and a strong pitching performance by McCauley Flint to race to a 10-2 victory in five innings over #10-seed Weatherford (TX) College. Salt Lake (50-9) will advance to the championship bracket semifinal to face Chipola (FL) College Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
The Bruins erased an early 2-1 deficity with a three-run second frame, highlighted by a two-run double by Hannah Williams, to bolt ahead 4-2. SLCC plated single runs in the both the third and fourth frames, and put the game on ice with a four-run fifth, which was capped by a two-run walk-off double from Maddy Woodard.
#3 Chipola College 12, #6 Lake Land College 3 (5 inn.)
Third-seeded Chipola (FL) College pounded out 12 runs and 12 hits en route to a convincing 12-3 triumph in five innings over #6-seed Lake Land (IL) College in the championship bracket. Chipola (49-6) will advance to the championship bracket semifinal to face Salt Lake Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
The Indians broke open a 1-1 game with five third-inning runs to race out to a 6-1 lead. The Lakers drew a run closer in their half of the frame, but Chipola answered with two tallies in the fourth and four more runs in the decisive fifth to end the game via the eight-run rule.
#5 Pima CC 4, #4 NE Oklahoma A&M 0
Pima (AZ) Community College hurler Yvette Alvarez fired a three-hit shutout to lead the #5-seeded Aztecs to a 4-0 victory over #4 seed Northeast Oklahoma A&M in the championship bracket. Pima (48-17) will advance to the championship bracket semifinal and face Wallace State Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Pima took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth frames before plating two more tallies in the sixth on a Victoria Mariscal two-run home run. The run support was all that Alvarez needed as she only allowed five total baserunners in the game. Pima pounded out nine hits, including a three-hit effort from Danielle Stensby.
#1 Butler CC 9, #7 Walters State CC 1 (5 inn.)
Top-ranked and top-seeded Butler bounced back from its second round loss in a big way by taking care of #7-seed Walters State (TN) CC, 9-1 in five innings, to advance in the consolation bracket at the 2013 NJCAA Division I Women’s Softball National Championship tournament Thursday night at the Canyons Complex. Butler (52-3) will advance to face #4 seed NE Oklahoma A&M in another elimination game Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile Walters State (40-9) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss. Coming off a quarterfinal loss to Wallace State earlier in the day, Butler CC wasted little time getting back into the groove as the Grizzlies plated four runs in their first at-bats to take an early 4-0 lead. Leading 5-1 in the home half of the fifth, Butler infielder Kaitlyn Wolken put an exclamation point on the night with a walk-off grand slam to end the game.
#11 Lake Land College 15, #12 Paris JC 13
In arguably the wildest games in the history of the NJCAA, #11-seed Lake Land (IL) College rallied for seven runs in its final at-bat to stave off elimination in claiming a 15-13 victory over #12-seed Paris (TX) Junior College in the consolation bracket. Lake Land (50-6) will advance to face #10 seed Weatherford (TX) College in another elimination game Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. (MDT). Meanwhile Paris JC (37-19) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
In a game that saw 28 combined runs and 37 combined hits, Paris JC seemed to be set to advance after padding an already three-run advantage with two insurance runs in the sixth to lead 13-8, needing three more outs to move on in the tournament.
#9 Weatherford College 9, #10 Santa Fe College 1 (5 inn.)
Ninth-seeded Weatherford (TX) needed just five innings to take care of #10 Santa Fe (FL) College, 9-1, to advance in the consolation bracket. Weatherford (50-7) will advance to face #11 seed Lake Land (IL) College in another elimination game Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile Santa Fe (41-19-1) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
The Coyotes wasted little time taking control of the contest as they jumped out to a commanding 8-1 lead after three innings, scoring a single run in the first and two more in the second, before erupting for five tallies in the third. WC infielder Sydney Kramer delivered a two-run single as part of the decisive rally in the frame. Weatherford then plated the game-ending run on a bases-loaded error in the fifth.
#4 NE Oklahoma A&M 5, #6 Iowa Western CC 0
NE Oklahoma A&M starter Kaitlin Davis fanned 11 and fired a five-hit shutout to lead her #4-seeded Norse to a 5-0 victory over #6 seed Iowa Western Community College in the consolation bracket. NEO (44-10) will advance to face top-seed Butler (KS) CC in another elimination game Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile Iowa Western (42-14) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
Davis retired 12 of the first 14 Reiver hitters she face, while the Norse offense provided her with all the runs she would need with a four-run outburst in the third inning, highlighted by a two-run triple legged out by infielder Maddie Stevenson. NEO lead-off hitter Lexie LeValley collected three of the her team’s 12 hits overall, while Stevenson finished with two safeties. IWCC hitter Rebekah Sanchez was the only Reiver hitter to solve Davis on the night as she went 3-for-3 with a double. Ashley Schmidt lasted six innings and struck out three in a losing effort.
#12 Paris JC 5, #13 Trinity Valley CC 4
No. 12 seed Paris (TX) Junior College scored two runs in its final at-bat to walk off with a 5-4 victory over #13 seed Trinity Valley (TX) Community College in the consolation bracket. Trinity Valley (32-27) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Trinity Valley rallied for three runs, two of which came on a two-run single from Shelby Reddington, to take a 4-2 advantage. Paris answered with a single run in its half of the sixth to cut the deficit in half at 4-3, and completed the comeback with a pair of RBI-singles from Alexis Padilla and Emilee Reed to end the game.
#6 Iowa Western CC 8, #14 Odessa College 3
No. 6 seed Iowa Western Community College used a couple of big innings to avoid elimination as the Reivers picked up an 8-3 triumph over #14-seed Odessa (TX) College in the consolation bracket. Odessa College (46-21) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
IWCC struck for four runs in the second inning, which was aided by two Wrangler errors and a two-run double from Jena Gonzales. After Odessa plated a run in the home half of the frame, the Reivers answered with two more tallies in third thanks to a two-RBI safety by Samantha Villegas. The run support was more than enough for Reiver starter Ashley Schmidt, who limited the Wranglers to two runs and five hits over her first six innings of work before running into trouble in the seventh. However IWCC reliever Aubrey Voboril came on to end the threat and end the game.
#9 Santa Fe College 4, #16 Pitt CC 0
Santa Fe (FL) College pitcher Karla Claudio fanned six and fired a four-hit shutout to lead her No. 9-seeded Saints to a 4-0 victory over #15 seed Pitt (NC) Community College in the consolation bracket. Pitt CC (28-13) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
The Saints broke the game open in the fourth inning with consecutive RBI-hits from Geena Capitini and Celeste Bradshaw to take a 2-0 lead. Santa Fe kept the offense clicking in the fifth, plating two more runs on a double from Cassidy Masso. The run support was more than enough for Claudio, who retired the final 13 hitters she faced to close out the game.
#7 Walters State CC 12, #15 Georgia Perimeter College 4 (5 inn.)
No. 7 seed Walters State (TN) Community College exploded for five first-inning runs and never looked back as the Senators defeated Georgia Perimeter College, 12-4 (5 inn.), in the consolation bracket. GPC (21-16) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
The Senators pounded out four hits in the opening frame, with the big blow coming on a two-run double from Emilee Solomon. Walters State tacked on two more runs in the second, and after GPC got on the board in its half of the frame, Senator outfielder Andrea Eison answered with a two-run home run to left field to stake WSCC to a commanding 9-1 advantage.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @oldschoolag
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.
