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Complete Forecast for  Jul 09 2008

By PHIL HICKS
Sports Editor

On Friday, the UT Tyler softball received their orange T-shirts proclaiming them as the “Cardiac Kids.”

They lived up to their nickname.

The Patriots won two games, eliminating both Redlands (Calif.), 5-3, and defending national champion Linfield (Ore.), 6-4, in a dramatic nine-inning affair in the NCAA Division III Softball National Championship West Regional at UT Tyler Ballpark.

“I told them I would gladly buy them new T-shirts that said ‘Score Early and Put the Game Out of Reach,’” UT Tyler coach Mike Reed said. “This is a special year with a special group. I’m so proud of them.”

The two wins mean the Patriots are still alive in their quest for a berth in the Softball World Series, May 16-20 in Salem, Va.

UT Tyler (42-8) plays La Verne (Calif.) (28-18), a team that beat the Patriots 3-1 in eight innings on Thursday, today at noon. If the Patriots win that game they will also play at 2 p.m.

The first game of the day has the unbeatens meeting — Louisiana College (40-5) taking on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (34-9) at 10 a.m. The winner of that game advances to the championship, which is scheduled for noon Sunday.

Other games on Friday saw Linfield earlier eliminate Chapman (Calif.), 5-3, while Mary Hardin-Baylor defeated La Verne, 3-1.

This game had the fans on their edge of their seats all night.

The Patriots would take the lead and then the Wildcats would rally. The game was in doubt until the final out.

In the end, UT Tyler continued its statistic of being undefeated when scoring first. The Patriots have a 30-0 mark when doing just that.

The Patriots took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on a home run by Lindsey Peters down the left field line. However, the Wildcats came back in the bottom of the sixth for a 2-2 tie as Rochelle Friend singled to bring home McKensie Booth, who pinch ran for Alex Hartmann who had reached on an error.

After pitching an outstanding game, Kelsey Ainsworth left the contest in the seventh and was relieved first by Stacy Shepherd and then by Loren Parks.

Parks, a sophomore from Brownsboro, entered with the bases loaded and one out. After falling behind 2-0 to Emily Keagbine, she induced the Linfield catcher to foul out to first baseman Kate Bell. Then she forced Friend to ground out to her and the Patriots escaped for another inning.

UT Tyler took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth as Megan Richardson blasted a solo shot near the flag pole in right center.

But Linfield (38-6) would not quit as the Wildcats tied it at 3-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Stephanie Rice, who was 4-for-6, reached on a double and went to third on a wild pitch. She then attempted to score on a grounder by Kayla Hubrich to Peters, but the second baseman fired home and catcher Brittanni Hanna made the tag for the out.

However, it wasn’t over as Meredith Brunette doubled to right center to score Jenny Marshall, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, and the game was tied again, 3-3.

Lauren Scruggs then entered the game and struck out Erica Hancock to end the threat.

Then it was the Patriots turn again as they scored three times in the top of the ninth.

Amanda Busby reached on an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Carly Collins. Kate Bell doubled to left center to plate Busby for a 4-3 lead. Kate Lightfield walked as well as Kristen Akin-Henton. Starting pitcher Samantha Van Noy re-entered the game and hit Peters, forcing in Bell for a 5-3 advantage.

Julie Smith’s infield single scored Lightfield for a 6-3 advantage.

But Linfield showed the heart of a champion.

Amanda Attleberger and Hartmann singled to star the inning and Keagbine was hit by a pitch.

Scruggs, however, battled back. A fielder’s choice by Friend scored Attleberger as the Wildcats got within 6-4. After Rice reached on an error to load the bases, Hubrich grounded to Sara DeStefano who fired home for the out. Then, Marshall grounded to short and Busby tossed to Peters for the final out.

“It was unfortunate the breaks did not go our way today,” Linfield coach Jackson Vaughan said. “We had our chances in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth …”

He said he was proud of his team for not giving up.

Peters, Richardson and Bell each had hits for the Patriots, while Rice had four for the Wildcats. Also, Hubrich (three), Brunette (two) and Attleberger (two) had multiple hits.

In the first game of the day, Smith had a two-RBI double down the left field line in the sixth inning to help the Patriots rally for four runs and the victory.

UT Tyler scored first off a double from Collins in the second. Redlands answered with two runs on a single from Roxy Lambert and a sacrifice fly from Aleisha Martinez in the bottom of the inning.

The Bulldogs went up 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth as a single from Dory Baga scored Melanie Hamlin.

Hanna had two hits in the game for the Patriots as well as Smith.

Kelsey Harrington and Shepherd were in the circle for UT Tyler with Shepherd (7-2) getting the win.

Defending national champion Linfield picked up five runs in the top of the fifth as Rice, who was 3-for-5 in the game, had two hits in the inning.

Linfield pitcher Claire Velaski improved to 3-0 by allowing just three runs off three hits in 4 1/3 innings. She was followed in the circle by Kendra Strahm, who picked up her first save of the season.

Chapman (Calif.) ends its season at 27-11.

Mary Hardin-Baylor 3, La Verne 1

Mary Hardin-Baylor third baseman Megan Bohne hit her second home run of the tournament as the Lady Cru scored the win over the California squad.

The Lady Cru (34-9) will now play Louisiana College at 10 a.m. Saturday for the right to advance to the championship.

La Verne (28-18) will play UT Tyler at noon Saturday in an elimination game.

The Leopards got on the board first as a fielder’s choice form Jessica Ortega scorde Jessica Hernandez in the third.

In the next inning, Bohne, who was 2-for-3, hit her bomb.

UMHB added another run in the sixth when Charlsie Cope’s hit scored Joanna Johnson.