Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 DuBOIS, Penn. - It was a day of mixed emotions for Mississippi University for Women on day one of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) softball championships at Heindl Field. The Owls (22-19) won big in their play-in games versus Penn State University-Schuylkill, 17-1, before losing in the quarterfinals to No. 1-seed – and back-to-back USCAA champs – Florida National University, 13-12, in eight innings.
With the loss, The W will now have the tall order of battling through the loser's bracket, despite its impressive opening day. MUW will face Carlow University on Tuesday (May 16) at 11 a.m. (CT). Should the Owls win that game, they would play again at 7 p.m. versus an as-yet-to-be-determined opponent.
Versus the Lions (19-18) of PSUS, MUW got all the runs they would need in their first at-bat and added on from there. The W would score five in the first, two in the second and five each in the fourth and fifth frames of the run-rule shortened game.
The Owls pounded out 12 hits and took advantage of five PSUS errors.
Madison Crosby and
Alysa Newman had identical lines of 2-for-3 with two runs and two runs batted in.
Ashton Farnell also went 2-for-3, with a double and 2 RBI.
Anna Sandlin (1-3) slugged her first home run of the season and had a sacrifice fly, good for three RBI.
Rylie Grisham hit her third homer of the year – as well as a sacrifice fly – on her way to a four-RBI game. She also walked twice.
Grisham tossed all five innings from the circle to improve her personal record to 12-6 on the year. In her 5.0 innings, Grisham scattered five hits and allowed the one earned run.
The W's reward for the first-round win was a date versus the tourney's top-seeded Florida National in the quarterfinals. Looking for a third-straight USCAA title, the Conquistadors (22-19) could not shake the pesky Owls in a bout that had more ups-and-downs than a Six Flags ride.
MUW got on the board first thanks to a sacrifice fly RBI in the first inning from Grisham that plated
Jessica Deming. But Conquistadors answered with single runs in the first and second, before breaking it open with four in the fourth to lead, 6-1.
The Owls inched closer with three in the fifth, but still trailed, 7-5, going into the seventh. With two out, MUW loaded the bases for senior
Madison Crosby, who delivered a bases-clearing double to put her team on top, 8-7. Before the dust settled, the Owls had added two more runs, thanks to RBI singles from
Maiya Joe and Sandlin, to make it 10-7.
But FNU would not surrender and managed to tie to game off of Grisham - who was in her third inning of relief of starter
Avery Byerley - sending it to extra innings tied 10-10.
With
Maddy Suggs placed at second for the tie-breaker, Deming promptly smashed a double that drove home Suggs. With one out and Deming on third after a wild pitch,
Riley Phillips slammed a double that gave the Owls an insurance run, 12-10, before the side was retired.
But the "insurance" was not enough coverage against FNU, even with Grisham in the circle. A pair of singles knotted the game at 12-12. After a base on balls, a walk off single by the Conquistadors conquered the Owls' hopes for the upset, 13-12.
Joe was 3-for-4 with two doubles. Phillips went 2-for-5, with two runs scored and two RBI. Deming was 2-for-4, with a walk, a double, and scoring three times.
Newman and Crosby each went 2-for-4 and walked once. Each also had a double. Crosby had three RBI. Suggs finished 2-for-4, as well, and scored twice.
