Softball Wins Horizon League Title and NCAA Bid
5/10/2003 12:00:00 PM | Softball
The Wright State softball team was down to its final out in the championship of the Horizon League Tournament Saturday in Cleveland, but a three-run home run off the bat of first baseman Stephanie Salas carried the Raiders to a 7-5 win over the Cleveland State Vikings to secure their first league title and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
WSU scored twice in the first on doubles by center fielder Amy Price and catcher Laura Workman and then stretched the lead to 3-1 in the fifth as shortstop Erin Hanlon singled and second baseman Brandi Steiner doubled to the gap in right center.
Cleveland State (23-30-1), however, tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run off the bat of pitcher Kortney Spidell and then went up 5-3 later in the inning on another two-run homer, this time by shortstop Jessica Townsend.
Overall, CSU hit a league record nine home runs in the tournament.
The Raiders have been coming up with the big hit all tournament and the seventh was no different as they scored four times to take the win. With one out, Price had an infield single and one out later, third baseman Becky Babin kept the inning alive with a hit up the middle.
That brought Salas to the plate and the sophomore crushed a three-run home run to left center to put WSU up 6-5. Wright State then added another run as right fielder Lauren Boggs singled, moved up to second on a throwing error and third on a wild pitch and, after designated player Sandra Breiby walked, both Boggs and Breiby pulled off a double steal to make it 7-5.
It was then left up to Kristin Bultinck, the Horizon League Pitcher of the Tournament, as she retired the side in the order in the seventh to pick up the save (2) for Jacqueline Goosen (3-11), who picked up the final out in relief of Bultinck in the sixth. Overall, Bultinck struck out 14 batters.
Salas was named the tournament MVP while Bultinck and Price were also on the all-tournament team. Hanlon was named the Defensive Player of the Tournament.
The Raiders (16-35) will find out Sunday night at 10:00 where they are headed for the NCAA Regionals, which begin Thursday.
2003 Horizon League Softball Championship Awards
Batting Champion: Stephanie Taylor, Cleveland State
Defensive Player: Erin Hanlon, Wright State
Pitching Award: Kristin Bultinck, Wright State
All-Tournament Team
Michelle Beightol, Cleveland State
Grace Luginbuhl, Cleveland State
Stephanie Taylor, Cleveland State
Katie Blackmore, Loyola
Allison Scanlin, Loyola
Kristin Bultinck, Wright State
Amy Price, Wright State
Stephanie Salas, Wright State
Kelly Murphy, Youngstown State
Tournament MVP: Stephanie Salas, Wright State
