#5 UW-Whitewater 4, #6 Ithaca 0

Warhawks Hold Ithaca to No Runs

May 18, 2008

 

SALEM, Va. --- UW-Whitewater held Ithaca scoreless on Sunday night in order to advance further into the 2008 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

 

The game saw no runs from either team until the bottom of the fourth inning when Warhawk, Lauren Rankins hit a line drive single through the left side which allowed teammate Lauren Cruz to round the bases and score at home.

 

The Warhawks came back in the fifth frame and posted another three runs on the scoreboard to make the count 4-0, which carried the Warhawks to the win.  Suzanne Gersich knocked a double down the right field line which yielded runs from teammates Ashley Smith, Amy Gahl and Alli Driscoll.

 

"I really believe that this is one of the best games we've played all year," said Brenda Volk, head coach of UW-Whitewater.  "Our pitching was amazing and we had some great plays defensively.  We came through when we had people on base.  I'm really happy!"

 

Jessica Stang picked up her second win of the tournament and her fifteenth win on the season by pitching a complete-game shutout for UW-Whitewater.  Stang gave up just four hits while fanning eight batters.

 

Ithaca had four hits on the night but could not produce the offense to offset the Warhawks.  The Bombers received hits from Chelsey Feldman, Kerry Barger, Caitlin Ryan and Jessica Stangarone.

 

Carly Myers allowed four runs on six hits in the circle for the Bombers.

 

"I really like how our kids came back; how they rebounded," said head coach of Ithaca, Deb Pallozzi.  "They did come together and we played the way we were capable of playing."

 

UW-Whitewater (38-10) will face #1 Louisiana College at Noon on Monday to decide who will advance to the national championship game against #3 UW-Eau Claire later in the afternoon at 2:30 p.m.  Ithaca bows out of the tournament with an overall record of 36-12.