2012-13 Peach Belt Conference Yearbook | Seite 34

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No. 4 Pirates Advance To NCAA DII Softball Semifinals With 5-3 Win Over No. 5 Humboldt State

SALEM, Va.- The No. 4-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University softball squad rapped out 11 hits in advancing to the 2013 NCAA DII Softball Championship semifinals with a 5-3 win over No. 5 Humboldt State on Saturday afternoon at the James I. Moyer Complex in Salem, Va.

Armstrong( 44-9-1) knocks off a second consecutive former national champion in advancing to a semifinal matchup against No. 19 Central Oklahoma at Noon on Sunday. The Pirates need to beat the Bronchos twice on Sunday to make it to the National Championship game on Monday. Humboldt State sees its season come to a close with a 53-14 record.

Humboldt State took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on an RBI double by Sarah Fox and an RBI single by Andrea Chavez, but the Pirates ' Kacie Patterson turned a 5-3 double play on a line drive that prevented more runs from scoring in the frame. Armstrong got on the board in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by Patterson, then took the lead in the third inning when a fly ball to center field off the bat of Heather Ellis was dropped by center fielder Tonya Walker with the bases loaded, plating two to make the score 3-2.

The Pirates tacked on two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Andrea Dalton and a sacrifice fly to center field by Bridget Devlin.

Humboldt State pulled to within two on a solo home run by Dani Randall in the top of the fifth inning and put the tying runs on base, but Peyton Roth started a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Megan Barnwell then entered the game in the sixth inning and hurled two shutout innings, getting a fly out with two outs and the bases loaded to end the ballgame and send the Pirates into the semifinals.

Barnwell ' s two innings of three-hit shutout relief, walking two and striking out three saved it for Shelby Duff( 10-3), who hurled three innings of one-run ball, walking two and striking out three to earn her first win of the DII Championships.

Humboldt State reliever Lizzie Perez( 21-6) took the loss for the Lumberjacks, giving up six hits and four runs- three earned- in 4 2 / 3 innings of work, striking out four.

Eight of the Pirates ' nine starters had at least one hit in the 11-hit

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attack, led by Hannah Reppert ' s 3-for-3 day. Patterson went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Seven different Lumberjacks had one hit for Humboldt State as Randall ' s home run paced Humboldt State in the contest.

Armstrong softball now becomes the sixth Pirate athletic program to advance to a national semifinal or better finish, joining the multiple-national champion men ' s and women ' s tennis teams, the women ' s soccer team( t3rd, 2011) and the men ' s golf team( 2nd, 2005).

Columbus State Wins Second Straight PBC Softball Tournament Title

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – No. 23( NFCA / Division II Top 25) Columbus State University rolled to a 12-0 win over No. 14 Georgia College to win its second consecutive Peach Belt Conference Softball Championship title Sunday afternoon at Flagler Field.

Columbus State earns the PBC’ s automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at a site to be determined and improved to 39-16 while Georgia College falls to 36-15. Tournament MVP and PBC Pitcher of the Year Mollie Russell( 22-8) was dominating in the circle for the Lady Cougars. She had a no-hitter through 4 1 / 3 innings and tossed a two-hit shutout. Russell fanned nine batters and walked just one. She retired another 12 batters on ground outs.

She would get all the offense she would need in the second inning when Columbus State erupted for six runs as 11 Lady Cougars went to the plate. Kodi Ricketson hit a three-run home run to get Columbus State on the board and later, Kori Waugh belted a three-run homer.

The Lady Cougars added a run in the sixth and tacked on five more in the seventh.

Ricketson went 3-for-5 with the home run and four runs batted in for Columbus State. Waugh was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI while Branigan Wix singled and homered. Taylor Turner singled twice and scored two runs.

Dani Gallucci( 15-6) tossed 1 1 / 3 innings, allowed three hits and four earned runs for the Bobcats.

Kelsea Martin and Becca Olson each hit singles for Georgia College.

Three PBC Softball Players Named NFCA All-Americans

SALEM, VA – Three Peach Belt Conference softball players have been

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named All-Americans as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association( NFCA) announced the teams at a banquet in Salem, Va., on the eve of the NCAA National Championships. Columbus State’ s Mollie Russell was named a second-team All-American while North Georgia’ s Kim McMillan and Armstrong’ s Kacie Patterson were named to the third team. This is the seventh straight year the PBC has had at least three players named All-Americans by the organization.

Russell had a tremendous final season for the Lady Cougars as she

posted a 24-9 record with a 1.02 earned run average, the sixth best mark nationally. The 2013 Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, Russell ranks second in the country with 14 shutouts and the least amount of walks per seven innings pitched walking only 18 batters in 220.1 innings. She has held opposing hitters to a. 170 average against while striking out 204. The Decatur, Alabama native currently ranks inside the top five in the PBC in wins, saves, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched and strikeouts. Russell was also a second team selection last season and earned first team NFCA All-Southeast region honors last week.

In her first season in a North Georgia uniform, McMillan came in and provided immediate firepower for the Saints’ offense as well as offering solid defense at multiple positions as she started all 50 games for North Georgia. On offense, McMillan is currently in the top-10 in the PBC in 10 different offensive categories including leading the conference with 28 extra base hits, 114 total bases and is tied for tops in the conference with 15 doubles. For the season, McMillan collected 61 hits, 43 runs, 42 runs batted in and 13 home runs. She recorded multiple hits in a game 13 times this season including five games with three hits. Defensively, she played three different positions this season starting the season in left field while also playing some at first base before moving behind the plate late in the season. McMillan has recorded 160 putouts and 22 assists with a fielding percentage of. 978 and was a two-time PBC Player of the Week( Mar. 18 & Mar. 25).

Patterson was named to the third team as an at-large third baseman, giving the Pirates a third straight year with an All-American honoree from the NFCA. The McDonough, Ga., native led the Peach Belt Conference in hitting in 2013, hitting. 421 with seven doubles, two triples, a home run an 14 RBIs while also fielding. 959 at third base with 43 putouts and 121 assists. The Georgia Perimeter CC transfer is in her first season with the Pirates. She joins an elite list of Armstrong players to earn NFCA All-American honors that includes Annie Sells( 2000, 2002), Stacey Richardson( 2002, 2003), Katya Eronina( 2003) and April Jowers( 2011, 2012).

Softball All-Conference Team

First Team 1b- Hannah Reppert, Armstrong 2b- Kaitlyn White, USC Aiken 3b- Kacie Patterson, Armstrong 3b- Tristan Faile, Francis Marion SS- Alexis Mercer, Armstrong C- Kim McMillan, North Georgia OF- Whitney Okvist, Georgia College OF- Whitney Little, Flagler OF- Taylor Merritt, North Georgia P- Mollie Russell, Columbus St. P- Dani Gallucci, Georgia College UT- Brea Hartley, UNC Pembroke UT- Shelby Duff, Armstrong DP- Malloree Escue, Flagler DP- Kristen Carr, Columbus St. At-Large- Courtney Poole, North Georgia

Second Team Megan Barnwell, Armstrong Taylor Cloninger, UNC Pembroke Brittney Sheriff, Lander India Kornegay, USC Aiken Hayley Knight, Ga. Southwestern Kori Waugh, Columbus St. Abi Leroy, Georgia College Christen Moon, Flagler Taylor Luff, Francis Marion Kayla Minger, North Georgia Lindsey Jones, USC Aiken Rachel McElroy, Ga. Southwestern Lauren Bessent, Flagler Bethany Beggs, Lander Melissa Dickie, North Georgia

Taylor Turner, Columbus St.

Player of the Year Alexis Mercer, Armstrong

Pitcher of the Year Mollie Russell, Columbus St.

Freshman of the Year Courtney Poole, North Georgia

Coach of the Year Jamie Grodecki, Georgia College

PBC CHAMPIONS! No. 3 Pirates Sweep No. 21 Bobcats For Second Straight Title

SAVANNAH, Ga.- The No. 3-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University softball squad captured its second straight Peach Belt Conference regular season title by sweeping No. 21-ranked Georgia College on Tuesday afternoon at the Armstrong Softball Field. The Pirates took game one, 2-0,

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