The Alma Scots Softball team took on Adrian College, on Saturday, and won the 2009 MIAA Tournament Championship at Trine University by a score of 7-3. The Scots won two games on Friday to make it to the final round, while the Bulldogs advanced to the Championship by defeating the Regular Season Champion and host Trine Thunder by a score of 6-2 earlier in the day.
Alma was listed as the Visitor for the contest. Fr. P Kelly Eberhardt started in the circle for the Bulldogs. After a three up and three down top of the first for the Scots, Alma So. P Tara Leddy (Saginaw, MI/Swan Valley) took to the circle. Jr. Krissy Sheets led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Jr. Meaghan Stevens singled, knocking in Sheets for a 1-0 Adrian lead after one.
The Scots got a one out single to center by Jr. RF Sarah Johnson (Portland, MI/Portland), but were unable to capitalize, as a pop-out to first and a strikeout ended the top of the second. Neither team got a baserunner until the bottom half of the third inning, when Adrian put together an offensive threat.
With one out, the Bulldogs loaded the bases on a walk and a couple of singles. Leddy anchored down, however, and recorded a strikeout and a grounder to Jr. SS Houston Verbeck (Burton, MI/Flint Kearsley), who tossed it to JR. 2B Kasey Miller (Grand Ledge, MI/Grand Ledge). That ended the frame with no damage on the scoreboard.
The Scots finally got to Eberhardt in their half of the fourth by scoring two runs for the 2-1 advantage. JR. LF Kelsey Rightenburg (Lexington, MI/Croswell-Lexington) led off with a single. After a fly-out, Miller singled to put runners on first and second. Johnson got her second single on the day, knocking in Rightenburg and moving Miller to third – Johnson advanced to second on the throw home.
Verbeck then got the Scots' fourth hit of the inning, scoring Miller and Johnson while Verbeck advanced to second and third respectively on the throw. After a walk to Fr. 1B Emily Ross (Buchanan, MI/Buchanan), the Scots had the bases loaded and looked to expand their lead. However, the inning ended with no other runs as Adrian recorded two fly ball outs.
After the threat in the bottom of the third, Leddy retired seven batters in a row before giving up a single and walk with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Leddy then coaxed Fr. Keesha Greene to hit a soft liner to Miller which she caught to end the inning.
The Alma bats exploded in the top of the sixth inning as they put four runs across the plate for a 6-1 lead. Johnson led off with a triple to right field and Verbeck reached on an error when Adrian C Kristin Toney dropped a pop-up. After Verbeck stole second, Ross walked to load the bases. Sr. C Trista Geier (Livonia, MI/Walled Lake Western) hit a sacrifice fly that scored Johnson.
Pinch Hitter Erika Brower (Allegan, MI/Allegan) then hit a single that went between the legs of the center fielder, and two runs scored on the play. So. CF Kelly Koenigsknecht (Folwer, MI/Fowler) followed with a single that scored Ross with the fourth run, but that was it for the Scots, as a pop-up and a ground out sandwiched a single by Sr. Brittany Fales (Midland, MI/Midland Dow).
Adrian was not about to quit though as they came back with two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on two hits and two Alma errors. Leddy worked her way out of the jam when Fr. Sarah Hall lined out to Koenigsknecht to end the inning with Alma heading into the final frame up 6-3.
The Scots added a final run in the top of the seventh inning, when Johnson singled up the middle to lead it off, her fourth hit of the game. Verbeck then reached on an error by the third basesman and on the errant throw, Johnson went to third. With one out, Geier hit a sacrifice fly to center which scored Johnson, giving the Scots the four-run lead heading into the bottom of the frame.
The first batter for Adrian was out first to second to first and then with one out, Stevens singled up the middle, giving the Bulldogs life. However, Leddy was not to be denied as she got Jr. Jenna Kloster to line out to third and Rachel Batman to fly out to center. The final out gave the Scots the Championship. They now look ahead to the NCAA Regionals next week.
Leddy finished her complete game by giving up just the one earned run on eight hits, with five strikeouts and three walks, to improve to 13-4 on the season. At the plate, Johnson was four for four, two runs scored and an RBI, while Geier had two RBI's for the Scots. Koenigsknecht, Verbeck and Brower also contributed an RBI.
