Wright State University
28-28-1
Valparaiso
35-21
Softball Wins Three to Claim Horizon League Title
5/15/2010 12:00:00 PM | Softball
The Wright State softball team is heading back to the NCAAs for the third time in four years as the Raiders won three games Saturday to claim the Horizon League Tournament title in Cleveland, winning over Valparaiso 4-0 and then defeating #1 seed and host Cleveland State by scores of 8-3 and 6-3.
WSU won in 2003, 2007 and this season all in Cleveland while the 2008 title came at Loyola. It was the first of the four championships that the Raiders had to go through the loser's bracket to win as they swept all four games the other three years.
Wright State (30-28-1) will find out its destination and opponents for the NCAA Regionals Sunday at 10 p.m. as the pairings are announced on ESPNU. The team will gather at the Fox and Hound near the Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek.
Game 1: Wright State 4, Valparaiso 0
The Raiders led just 1-0 in the sixth before a Jamie Perkins three-run double broke the game open as WSU defeated the Crusaders in the loser's bracket final.
Wright State took that 1-0 lead in the first as Kristen Bradshaw walked, stole second, advanced to third on a Justine Shilt blooped a single into left.
It stayed that way until the sixth. Bradshaw again started the rally by reaching on an error, stole second and went to third as Louie Haney reached on an infield hit. One out later, Shilt was intentionally walked and Perkins followed by clearing the bases with a double to right.
Melanie Heyne (12-12) took it from there as the senior threw her first career shutout as a Raider, retiring the side in order in the seventh. Heyne scattered four hits and one walk while striking out a career-high six.
Game 2: Wright State 8, Cleveland State 3
The Raiders trailed 2-0 and 3-2, but scored the final six runs of the game, including four in the seventh, to force a decisive game.
Cleveland State scored a pair of unearned runs in the first, but Allison Cox tied it in the second as, after a Shilt double to left center, she hit a towering two-run homer along the left field line, her third of the season.
The Vikings regained the lead with a run in the third, only to see WSU go up for good with two in the fifth. With two outs and no one on base, Bradshaw singled and went to second on a throwing error. After Haney followed with an infield hit and advanced to second as CSU tried to get Bradshaw at third, Frost drove both in with a hit to right.
Wright State added four in the seventh as Haney had a two-run single and the two runs came in on a Frost fielder's choice and a Perkins sacrifice fly to left.
Heyne (13-12) picked up her second win of the day as she allowed just one run in 3.2 innings of relief with two strikeouts. Cox earned her fifth save of the year with three shutout innings, giving up only one hit.
Offensively, Bradshaw, Haney, Mollie Berry and Katie Kine each had two hits with Bradshaw and Haney scoring twice. Frost drove in three and Haney and Cox two each.
Game 3: Wright State 6, Cleveland State 3
Cleveland State cut a 4-0 deficit to 4-3 on a three-run home run by Dara Toman, but WSU answered with two of its own in the fifth to round out the scoring.
Wright State drew first blood with three in the third. After a Briauna Birl bunt and a Bradshaw walk and steal put runners at second and third, Haney drove in Kine with a hit to center. Bradshaw and Haney then pulled off a double steal and Bradshaw came in as the throw to third went into foul territory. Frost had an infield single to plate Haney with the third run.
The Raiders added another run in the fourth as Birl walked with the bases loaded before Toman's homer to left center in the bottom of the frame made it 4-3.
WSU, however, answered back with two in the fifth. Frost appeared to be retired on a grounder back to the pitcher to start the inning, but an illegal pitch gave her a second chance and she responded with a hit through the right side. After a Shilt bunt, a Perkins double to right drove in Frost to make it 5-3. Perkins advanced to third on the play at the plate and came in on a chopper to short off the bat of Berry.
That would be all Sharon Palma (8-11) would need as she went the first 5.1 innings before turning it over to Cox, who earned her second save of the day and sixth of the year by retiring five of the six batters she faced.
Frost and Berry each had three hits, scored once and drove in one while Perkins had two hits in scoring once and knocking in one.
Four Raiders received All-Tournament honors in Bradshaw, Cox, Heyne and Shilt. Bradshaw, who was both the MVP of the tournament and won the Defensive Award, had seven hits in the tournament with seven runs scored and six stolen bases. Cox had the home run in the first Cleveland State game and was 1-0 with two saves in the circle, allowing just two runs in 9.1 innings.
Heyne was selected for the Pitching Award as she went 2-0 with a save, giving up only one run in 12.1 innings with one walk and eight strikeouts while Shilt was named the Batting Champion as she went seven for 14 with two doubles and a triple along with five runs scored.
Horizon League All-Tournament Team
Jenny Esparza, Fr., P, Butler
Jessica Burt, Jr., OF, Cleveland State
Amanda Macenko, Sr., P, Cleveland State
Amy Powell, Jr., C, Cleveland State
Alex Lagesse, So., P, Valparaiso
Kristen Bradshaw, Sr., SS, Wright State (MVP)
Allison Cox, Sr., P/1B, Wright State
Melanie Heyne, Sr., P, Wright State
Justine Shilt, Jr., 2B, Wright State
Batting Champion: Justine Shilt, Jr., 2B, Wright State
Defensive Award: Kristen Bradshaw, Sr., SS, Wright State
Pitching Award: Melanie Heyne, Sr., Wright State
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Heyne, Melanie (12-12)
L: LAGESSE, Alex (15-12)
Base Running:
SB: STRICKLAND, Sara 1
CS: STRICKLAND, Sara 1
Batting:
2B: Perkins, Jamie 1
RBI: Shilt, Justine 1 ; Perkins, Jamie 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bradshaw, Kristen 2 ; Haney, Louie 1 ; Shilt, Justine 1
SB: Bradshaw, Kristen 2 ; Haney, Louie 1
