SB falls to U.T.-Tyler in ASC Tournament

05/03/08

Irving, TX - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team saw a seventh-inning lead slip away and the winning run scored on a two-out error as the Cru dropped a 5-4 decision to U.T.-Tyler in an elimination game in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Saturday in Irving. UMHB finishes the tournament with a 32-9 overall record on the season. U.T.-Tyler moves on to the championship game against Louisiana College.

The Patriots took a 1-0 lead on Julie Smith's infield single in the bottom of the second inning. It would stay 1-0 into the top of the fifth inning. Becca Ribera then tripled home Erica Salazar with the tying run and scored on Kacie Kripner's RBI double to put the Cru up 2-1. Ribera added an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to stretch UMHB's lead to 3-1, but the Cru left the bases loaded in the inning. UMHB then used a Charlsie Cope sacrifice fly to push the lead to 4-1 in the top of the seventh, but once again left the bases loaded. Smith then lead off the bottom of the seventh with another infield single and scored on Lindsey Peters' RBI triple. A walk and hit batter loaded the bases before Kate Bell struck out for the first out of the inning. Sarah DeStefano hit into a fielder's choice to score a run and make it 4-3. Brittani Hanna then hit one that snuck under the glove of Cru shortstop Katina Penter and two runs scored to give the Patriots the victory.

Daphne Kahlig took the loss for UMHB to drop to 12-5 on the season. She did not give up a hit or allow an earned run in relief of Cru starter Kelsey Greeson. Loren Parks (9-1) picked up the win for UTT with one a third innings of one-hit relief. Ribera was 3-4 for UMHB with two RBI and Greeson added two hits. Smith was 3-3 for the Patriots and Peters and Megan Richardson also had two hits apiece for U.T.-Tyler.

UMHB will now have to hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships when the field is announced Monday morning. If the Cru does not earn a bid, then Saturday's loss closed out the careers of six UMHB seniors. Daphne Kahlig, Kacie Kripner, Lindsey Liles, Penter, Cope and Ribera were all seniors this season. Cope and Greeson were both named to the ASC Tournament All-Tournament Team following Saturday's Championship Game.