Softball Advances to Championship Game of Nissan Invitational

Saturday, March 24

Macon, GA

10:00 AM

Wright State University

8-13

Harvard

6-6

Wright State

Harvard

Softball Advances to Championship Game of Nissan Invitational

3/24/2007 12:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: WSU Athletic Media Relations

It was a day of extremes for the Wright State softball team Saturday at the Mercer Nissan Invitational in Macon, Georgia, as after dropping a tough 9-8 decision to Harvard to conclude pool play, the Raiders bounced back in a big way in the semifinals, knocking off #1 seed Winthrop 7-2 to advance to Sunday's championship game.

Harvard broke out to a quick 3-0 lead after an inning, but Kristen Bradshaw tied the game in the third as she connected on her third home run of the season, a three-run shot to left. The Raiders then went in front with four runs in the fourth as Bradshaw and Briauna Birl each had two-run singles.

The Crimson trimmed the margin to 7-5 with two in its half of the fourth, but Wright State tacked on a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Jherica Williams. Harvard, however, pulled out the win with two unearned runs in the sixth and two more runs an inning later on a pair of doubles and a single to left center.

Bradshaw had two hits to go with her five RBI to pace the Raider offense while Patti Scherer had two hits and scored twice. Williams and Birl also scored twice.

Winthrop had been unscored upon over its last 34 innings going into the semifinals, but the Raiders quickly snapped that streak with a run in the first as Williams singled, stole second, went to third on a Birl infield single and came in as the duo completed a double steal.

The Eagles tied it with an unearned run in the second, but WSU tacked on what turned out to be the winning runs in the third on a Bradshaw RBI single followed by a two-run homer to center off the bat of Allison Cox, her fifth of the year.

Wright State extended the lead to 7-1 with three more in the fifth on a Jamie Perkins single to left, an error and a Kristen Farley double to the gap in left center.

Perkins (4-7) picked up the win as she allowed no earned runs and just five hits in the complete-game effort. Offensively, Williams had two hits and scored three times while Bradshaw added two hits.

Wright State, now 9-13 on the season, will take on Harvard in the championship game Sunday at approximately 12:00, following the conclusion of the third-place game between Winthrop and Mercer.