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The DSU softball team had its season come to a tough end Monday afternoon in Decatur, Alabama at the NAIA National Tournament. Fifth-ranked Belhaven (Miss.) put a halt to Dickinson State’s national tournament hopes with the 10-0 win. Had the game been played without the third and fourth innings DSU would have been even throughout the contest, but Belhaven used back to back five run sessions in the third and fourth to knock off the eleventh-ranked Hawks.
After exchanging hits in the first inning and both teams leaving runners on base, the game was at a stalemate going into inning number three. The Blazers would come out firing, capitalizing on a Kelly Jahn throwing error to score their first run of the game and opening the flood gates to two innings where they would have ten hits and ten runs.
Starting pitcher Sara Jane Webster gave up seven runs, on nine hits, in five innings pitched. With the loss Webster closed the book on a solid 20-7 season. By the time Taysia Kaufman came in for relief it was too late. Dickinson State managed only three hits off of Blazers pitchers Sarah Burns and Rebecca Rousseau, two of which came from Erika Arvizo.
The win takes Belhaven to a 53-8 record overall and a chance to advance to bracket play at the National Tournament. The Blue Hawks finish their season with an impressive 34-13 overall mark.
Big Bats Strong Defense Lead Hawks Past Knights
After being rained out Friday in Decatur, AL the Dickinson State softball team came out looking refreshed against Northwood University (TX), on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks showed no signs of the offensive deficiencies that plagued them in their opening round of pool play. DSU used a big third inning to continue to make a push toward bracket play at the 2010 Softball National Tournament with the 7-1 victory.
Sara Jane Webster got the win, allowing only one run and two hits in her seven innings pitched. The Hawks torched Knights pitchers Larissa Garcia and Taylor Jones for ten hits and seven runs on the day to breeze through round two of pool play.
Jody Lantz propelled a fast first inning start with a two-run home run to deep right-center field. The top of the third inning also had Blue Hawks written all over it and would prove be the dagger for Northwood. Jody Lantz’s third RBI of the day was followed by runs batted in from Jessica Huseby and Carly Patterson. The Knights would answer back with their only run of the game, in the bottom of the third, on a Leigh Anne Rainey RBI single. That’s where the runs would stop for Northwood.
The Blue Hawks will move on to their final game of pool play on Monday the 24th at 1:00 against Belhaven. Monday represents a must win in order to keep their bracket play hopes alive. Hawks Stumble In Tough First Round Loss
The first game of pool play at the 2010 Softball National Tournament was defined by tough defense and a wild pitch. The Cougars scored their only run of the day on a passed ball thrown by All-American Pitcher Sara Jane Webster in the first inning. The slim lead was nothing that the high powered Blue Hawk offense had not faced before but strong efforts from Columbia (MO) pitcher Valerie Teter and her 13 strikeouts left things final at 1-0. Teter, who at 371 leads the NAIA in strikeouts, improved her record to 30-6 on the year. Webster did her part in the pitchers duel to keep the Hawks alive, striking out six while allowing just four hits. After an infield single in the first and advancing to third base on a sacrifice, Columbia’s Tori Long scored the only run of the day on the wild pitch from Webster. Dickinson State compiled only four hits on the day. Nickie Youngblood’s double in the fourth inning gave the Blue Hawks hope but the inning was ended on two Teter strikeouts and a pop out from Kelly Jahn. The Blue Hawks will need to win out their pool play games in order to stay eligible for bracket play. Dickinson State (33-12) will look to rebound against Northwood University from Cedarville, Texas (33-21) at 5:30 pm on Friday.
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