SALEM, Virginia—Missed opportunities. They're bad enough in regular season play, but in the postseason the inability to take advantage of scoring situations can prove particularly lethal. The Chico State softball team found that out firsthand Thursday at the NCAA Championship Finals against opening round opponent Saint Leo, leaving nine runners aboard—six in scoring position—to wind up on the wrong end of a 3-2 final score at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.
The loss drops Chico State's record to 55-5 on the season, but more importantly, leaves the Wildcats with a very steep trek on the road to a national championship. The 'Cats will play Southern Arkansas (57-10) Friday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time in the day's second elimination game. The winner keeps its NCAA title hopes alive; the loser sees its season come to a screeching halt.
Haley Gilham surrendered just six singles while striking out seven
Thursday against Saint Leo, but it wasn't enough to keep her from
falling to 31-4 on the year.
Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
Haley Gilham turned in another fine pitching performance Thursday, allowing just six hits and striking out seven in recording her 31st complete game of the season. But the inability to come up with a clutch hit—Chico State was 0-for-8 in the game with runners in scoring position—proved to be the Wildcats' undoing, sending Gilham to just her fourth loss in 35 decisions this year.
Things started off encouragingly for Chico State, as the Wildcats put a run on the board in the top of the first inning. A walk to Wendy Cardinali, an Ari Marsh single and a free pass to Cyrena Taylor loaded the bases, and following a Karli Skowrup popup, Bailey Akins coaxed a walk out of Saint Leo starting pitcher Auria Mounts to force home Cardinali from third.
The Lions used a double steal to plate a run and tie the game in the top of the second inning. Chico State had a chance to re-take the lead in the bottom of the third—Taylor walked and advanced to third on a Karli Skowrup single, while Claire Wayne walked to load the bases. But Amanda Flores got caught looking to end the inning, keeping the contest tied at 1-1.
It was a confident Wildcats team early on, as the Chico State infield
shares smiles in the second inning.
Back-to-back RBI singles by Kacie Kelly and Ashley Morris put Saint Leo out in front 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, forcing the Wildcats to play catch-up. Taylor immediately stepped up to the challenge, crushing a one-out solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fifth. Skowrup reached on a walk, but the potential tying run was stranded as Chico State crept to within 3-2.
A leadoff double by Flores in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the 'Cats a golden opportunity to knot up the contest. But Chico State was turned away—pinch-runner Annie Weiss was left at third as Cardinali popped up to short and pinch-hitter Breanna Martin hit a soft liner to first to end the threat.
Gilham tossed a scoreless top of the seventh inning, keeping the 'Cats within a run and giving Chico State a chance for one of its patented late-inning rallies. But it was not to be on this night, as Saint Leo reliever Allison Mitts set down the Wildcats in order in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Lions the 3-2 win and sending Chico State to the second of two elimination games scheduled for Friday.
Other NCAA Championship Finals opening day results:
No. 8 Southern Indiana 1, No. 1 North Georgia 0
The first game of the NCAA Championship Finals featured a major upset, as the nation's top-ranked team fell to the tournament's lowest-seeded team. Screaming Eagles sophomore righthander Jennifer Leonhardt outdueled First Team All-American Kylee Smith, and knocked in the only run of the game with a sixth inning single. Leonhardt held the Nighthawks to just one hit and struck out 11 as Southern Indiana (37-23) advanced to Friday's 8 a.m. Pacific winner's bracket game. North Georgia slipped to 61-3 and will play in the tournament's first elimination game Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific time.
No. 4 Angelo State 1, No. 5 West Chester 0
An RBI single by senior Brooke Mangold in the bottom of the fifth inning accounted for all the scoring in Friday's second opening round contest, as the Rambelles edged the Golden Rams to advance to the winner's bracket and a meeting with Southern Indiana. Senior righthander and Second Team All-American Brandy Marlett faced the minimum and fanned seven on the way to a one-hit shutout, as Angelo State improved to 53-3 on the year. West Chester falls to 45-14 and will face North Georgia in Friday's first elimination game.
No. 2 Saint Anselm 2, No. 7 Southern Arkansas 1 (9 innings)
Two errors on the final play of the game allowed Jordan O'Connor to score from second in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Hawks took the extra-inning affair to win for the first time in the NCAA Championship Finals. After Southern Arkansas grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, Saint Anselm sophomore Erin Thompson broke up Victoria Taylor's no-hit bid with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth. Morgan Perry went all the way in the pitcher's circle for the Hawks, who raised their record to 42-10-1. Southern Arkansas dipped to 57-10 overall, and will play the Wildcats in Friday's second elimination game.
