VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College moved to within one win of a trip to Oklahoma City on Friday afternoon as the Marlins opened the best-of-three NCAA Division III Softball Super Regionals with a 3-0 victory over Kean University.
First-year lefty Hanna Hull was again stellar for the Marlins as she improved to 28-2 in the circle with 14 strikeouts on the way to a three-hit shutout. The win put VWC in the driver's seat with two chances to win one more game and punch its ticket to the national championship series.
RELATED: Super Regional Website
The road to a win on Friday certainly wasn't easy as it appeared Kean (36-9) would strike first from the outset. Hull hit Caroline Ratti with a pitch to lead off the game and then former All-American Emily Sabo reached on a popped up bunt single that landed inbetween the trio of Hull, third baseman Kaylah Duplain, and shortstop Kiersten Richardson. Hull, despite a wild pitch to put runners on second and third with one down, fanned two batters and got a foul pop behind the plate to quell the early threat.
Cougars pitcher Shannon McMahon was just as equal to the task despite fewer strikeouts. After giving up a single to Richardson to lead off Virginia Wesleyan's (47-2) half of the first inning, she mowed down 10 straight batters before Cassetty Howerin singled with one down in the fourth inning.
Hull, meanwhile, was a strikeout machine as she recorded at least two punchouts in each inning but the sixth. She made up for just one strikeout in that frame by striking out the side in the third inning. That was part of five straight at bats that ended with a third strike after fanning the last batter in the second and the first hitter in the fifth.
Still, the scoreboard remained unmoved, even when Virginia Wesleyan threatened for the first time in the fifth inning with runners on second and third with just one out. The key out was a bang-bang play at the dish where Duplain tried to squeeze home Madison Glaubke from third, but Cougars' first baseman Jackie Riley scooped and tossed the slow roller to catcher Samantha Krakower in time for KU's backstop to apply the tag.
The Marlins needed just one more frame to post the deciding runs. Liz Bailey led off the sixth with a double to left-center and was joined on the basepaths by Cassetty Howerin following an intentional walk. Blake Henderson loaded the bases with a traditional free pass. Hull then helped herself with a two-run single back up the middle, bringing around pinch runner Lauren Irvin and Howerin with Henderson advancing to third. Two batters later, Glaubke plated Henderson with a sac fly to center for a 3-0 lead.
Hull finished her fourth straight NCAA postseason win with a bunt out and two more strikeouts. The 14 K's mark her 16th double digit strikeout game of the season. Her overall total now stands at 319, which ranks second in Division III.
Virginia Wesleyan and Kean will meet again on Saturday at least once. First pitch for the first game is set for 2:00 p.m. Should KU even the super regional with a victory, the second and deciding game is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Marlins Inch Closer to Title Chance with Super Regional Win Over Kean
Kean
0
Virginia Wesleyan
3
Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kean (36-9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Virginia Wesleyan (47-2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Posted: May 19, 2017