Late Comeback Seals Win for Pride

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- In a battle of lion-like mascots, the Eastern Mennonite Royals took on the Greensboro College Pride in the loser's bracket at the Newport News Regional of the NCAA National Softball Championships. EMU took an early lead but had hopes of an NCAA win dashed when the Pride scored five in the bottom of the sixth to steal a 7-3 decision. The loss knocks EMU out of the NCAA tournament.

After a quiet first two innings, the Royals broke through in the top of the third, Jessica Sullivan (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) led off with a walk and EMU loaded the bases with bunt singles from Rachel Breeden (Shenandoah, Va./Page County) and pitcher Nicole Wade (Madison Heights, Va./Liberty Christian Academy). Two runs scored on sacrifice flies, and Lisa Lee(Buckingham, Va./Buckingham) plated a third with an RBI double to give the Royals a 3-0 lead.

The Pride got their first run in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases without a hit and scoring with a sacrifice fly. Greensboro scored again in fifth, aided by a pair of walks and a slowly hit groundout, to get within 3-2.

Eastern Mennonite looked to add some insurance in the sixth, as Nicole Shelton (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin) and Sara Jenkins (Stanley, Va./Page County) hit one-out singles. But a double play erased the threat and left the edge at one.

After chipping out single runs earlier in the game, Greensboro finally broke out in the bottom of the sixth. A one-out double started a rally that finally ended after three hits, two errors and a hit batsman. When the dust settled, the Pride had scored five runs to take their first lead of the game, 7-3.

In the Royals' final at-bat they threatened with two outs. Jessica Blosser (Crimora, Va./Wilson Memorial) singled and Brittany Caricofe (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) reached on an error. But Lee popped out for the final out, ending the game and the season.

Wade (10-7) went the distance on the mound and took the loss. She allowed just four hits in six innings, but also walked three batters and was charged with five earned runs.

The Royals outhit Greensboro, 7-4, and were led by Shelton's 2-3 day. Blosser and Lee each had a hit and an RBI. Caricofe had the other RBI.

Eastern Mennonite ends the year with a 19-18 record, including the program's first NCAA national appearance. With the postseason surge, the Royals finish with their sixth consecutive winning season in Coach J.D. McCurdy's seven years.

This release is courtesy of the Eastern Mennonite University sports information department.