DePauw Edges Past Moravian

Two Runs in the Sixth Pave Way to Victory

May 18, 2007  -  Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- DePauw University (37-5) made the most of its first NCAA Division III Championship contest, defeating Moravian College (35-6) 4-2 in the tournament’s second contest of the day.  The Tigers move on to face Linfield College on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.  The Greyhounds take on Emory University at 11:00 a.m.

DePauw’s Megan Saultz went the distance, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits.  She also walked a pair of struck out two.

“It’s a great day, and I’m proud of these girls, the entire team and our staff,” explained DePauw head coach Bonnie Skrenta.  “It was a great game and the other team had a great day, too.  We’re just happy to be here and get that first win under our belts in our first appearance at the [NCAA D-III National Championship] here in Salem.”

Both teams’ starters kept their opponents at bay until Moravian broke through with a run in the third inning.  With two down, Erica Klepeisz doubled to right-center.  Lauren Homa followed with a single to center to bring in Klepeisz for a 1-0 Greyhound lead.

The Tigers responded with two of their own in the fourth.  Rachel Gill led things off with single that tucked inside the right field line.  Carolyn Bartlett followed two batters later with the first of her three hits, a double in the right-center gap to bring in Gill.  Jessica Bowlds picked up her first RBI of the tournament with DePauw’s second double of the inning to put the Tigers ahead 2-1.

Moravian knotted the score at two in the top half of the fifth inning.  Klepeisz hammered her second double of the game, this one also to right-center.  Homa reached on an error by the third baseman to put runners on first and second, and Beth Paly singled through the right side to load the bases.  Kelly Santry picked up the RBI, drawing a walk to bring in Klepeisz.

DePauw came through with the deciding runs in the bottom of the sixth, driving Moravian’s Kristie Pellicani from the game in the process.  Bartlett led off the inning with a single through the left side, and moved up to second on a passed ball.  Lauren Rees walked followed by a sacrifice to move Barlett and pinch runner Erin Ketchem into scoring position with one down.  Laura Schlensker hit a liner to center on the next at-bat, but it proved enough to allow Bartlett to tag up and score.  Chelsy Patterson punched a single into right-center on the next at-bat to bring one more around to give the Tigers a 4-2 advantage.

Saultz set Moravian down in order in the seventh to secure her 19^th win of the season.  The Greyhounds Pellicani falls to 17-4 after allowing four runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings of work.