Bloop hit bounces LC into loser’s bracket

SALEM — A small hit proved to be the biggest play for Muskingum on Friday against Lynchburg College in the 2008 NCAA Division III Softball Championships.
Jessica Bosway’s glancing bloop single fell between LC’s pitcher and second baseman in the second inning, scoring Mary Margaret Boda and giving the Lady Muskies a 1-0 victory over the Hornets on a chilly, windy day that felt more like March than May.
The loss sends LC, the No. 2 seed, into an elimination game today at 1:30 p.m. against Ithaca at the James I. Moyer Complex. Ithaca lost 8-0 to Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Friday.
“(The team) is upset because we did lose on such a small hit like that, but we were right there in the game,” said LC coach Dawn Simmons. “But I think we proved we deserve to be here and they have earned everything they’ve gotten. Hopefully things will fall our way tomorrow.”
Bosway’s RBI was the only offensive highlight for either team as LC pitcher Katie Bruce and Muskingum’s Amy Mattin allowed just seven hits combined. Following the decisive second, Bruce didn’t face more than four batters an inning the rest of the game.
The Hornets (39-7) threatened in the bottom of the fifth when Kirstin Swank was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. One batter later, Savannah Tinsley moved Swank to second with a sacrifice bunt. Brittany Allsop followed with a double to center field, advancing Swank to third. Audra Della Rosa walked to load the bases and bring up Elizabeth Perkins, who came into Friday’s game batting .430.
But Mattin was able to induce a bouncer to second baseman Debbie Warner who threw Perkins out at first to end the inning. The Hornets went three-up-three-down the next two innings.
“After I put that runner (Della Rosa) on first to load the bases, we were coming up to one of their top hitters in their batting order, which wasn’t really what the coach wanted, or any of us wanted,” said Mattin. “But we managed to work our way out of it, which shows how bad we really want to be here and want this.”
Neither Mattin nor Bruce were dominating, but they both got tremendous support from the defenses. Mattin struck out just two batters and Bruce only one. Each gave up one walk. But where Muskingum (41-10) had an advantage over the Hornets was in errors (2-0) and runners left on base (3-6).
“My defense is awesome,” said Mattin. “Today they were exceptional. They had my back the whole game.”
Lynchburg took the field without one of its best players, shortstop Dara Sandifer, who was out with a knee injury. And while her backup, Sarah Spicer, played an error-free game, her absence was obvious to both teams.
“I think a key thing for them was their starting shortstop got injured in the final game in the regional tournament,” said Muskingum’s veteran coach Donna Newberry. “That had to be a real problem for them. When you take out a good glove like that and a good bat, even if it doesn’t directly affect you, it indirectly affects you. So I felt bad they weren’t playing at 100 percent.”
Said Simmons: “(Not having Dara) was big in some ways just because Dara is such a leader on this team. But at the same time she’s been around the girls and I think they got prepared for what was happening and have faith in Sarah.”
LC’s Tara Campbell went 2-for-3 at the plate and was the only player on either team to have more than one hit.