Kidnie’s Double Puts Blugolds in Semis

UW-Eau Claire Comes Back from Five Down Against Plattsburgh

May 20, 2007  -  Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- Bekki Kidnie’s walk-off single propelled UW-Eau Claire (38-13) to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Plattsburgh State University (37-14) Sunday evening in the NCAA Division III Softball Championships held in Salem, Virginia.

The win sends the Bluegolds to a 12:00 p.m. Monday match up with Linfield College with the winner of that game advancing to play Washington University at 2:30 in the first championship contest.

“Again, it was another battle,” mentioned UW-Eau Claire head coach Leslie Huntington.  “Two good teams and I can’t say enough about the fight in our players.”

Plattsburgh jumped out to an early lead after Amy Woo led the game off with a home run.  The following batter Jenn Nescio reached base via a bunt and advanced to third when UW-Eau Claire starter Bri Strum threw the ball into right field.  Nescio then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Shannon Connors to make the score 2-0 after a half inning.

Plattsburgh scored three runs on five hits in the top of the fourth inning.  With two down and Woo on first base, Nescio singled to left to move up Woo to second.  Woo then stole third and scamper home when the throw from the catcher eluded the third baseman.  Connors followed with a single to center to bring in Nescio.  Ashley Napear doubled down the left field line to put two in scoring position for the Cardinals, and Danielle Gjergji took advantage with a single to bring in Connors for a 5-0 Plattsburgh lead.

The Bluegolds got their offense going by scoring three runs in their half of the fourth.  Three hit-batswomen aided the UWEC effort with Michelle Butkus and Jill Janke reaching base to start the inning after being plunked by starter Stephanie Zweig.  After Rachel Paulus grounded out, Amber Haack bunted her way on to load the bases.  Steph Salter followed with a single to second base to bring in the first run.  Casey Leisgang benefited from Zweig’s third wide pitch to a hit a batter, forcing in pinch runner Tamara Zeman.  Jaclyn Leitze relieved Zweig, but Mandy Tschernach brought in one more with a single to plate Haack.

The Bluegolds then tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth inning when Mallory McKinney delivered a two out, two RBI single to score Tshernach and Salter, setting the table for Kidnie’s hit in the bottom of the seventh.  With runners on first and second, Kidnie fought off several inside pitches before sending an outside delivery to right field that tucked just inside the foul line to score Paulus from second.

McKinny picked up the win in relief to improve her record to 20-9 on the season while Jaclyn Leitze took the loss, dropping her record to 16-8 overall.

“I’m just very proud of our kids and how we competed this weekend,” said Plattsburgh head coach Sean Cotter.  “The last two weeks have just been a great run for us to lose in our conference tournament and then you’re hoping to get in and when we do get in to compete the way we did over the last two weekends, I’m very proud.”