Posted: Apr 14, 2012
Burlington, N.C. - North Carolina Wesleyan opened up the 2012 USA South Softball Tournament at Burlington's Springwood Park on Friday morning with an 8-0 win over William Peace, marking the 400th career victory for long-time NCWC head coach John Brackett. Unfortunately, a 7-1 defeat at the hands of top-seeded Christopher Newport later in the day was followed by a season-ending loss to Methodist on Saturday morning.
Versus the Pacers, the 9th-seeded Bishops plated three runs in the third and four in the fourth to provide starting pitcher Leanna Fann with all the offense she would need. Paige Pritchett, Maria Seay and Amanda Warley each delivered RBI-singles in the third, while Pritchett provided the big blow in the fourth with a three-run blast to left-center. NCWC added an insurance run in the seventh for the 8-0 final.
Versus the Pacers, the 9th-seeded Bishops plated three runs in the third and four in the fourth to provide starting pitcher Leanna Fann with all the offense she would need. Paige Pritchett, Maria Seay and Amanda Warley each delivered RBI-singles in the third, while Pritchett provided the big blow in the fourth with a three-run blast to left-center. NCWC added an insurance run in the seventh for the 8-0 final.
Fann did the rest in the circle, holding the Pacers to just four hits over seven innings of work en route to the shutout. WPU's Kendra Yearick (8-9) suffered the loss, allowing all eight runs on 11 hits.
Seay finished 3-for-4 at the plate for the Bishops to help secure the milestone victory for Brackett, who completes his 21st season at the helm of the program.
Against CNU Friday afternoon, Wesleyan jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Pritchett singled home Carly Creef with the game's first run. CNU hurler Whitney Haller proceeded to get out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam with a strikeout and lineout to end the inning.
CNU answered in the bottom half of the frame with a three-run homer by Jen Falin to go up 3-1, and the Captains added a pair of unearned runs in the second when an inning-ending pop-up was lost in the sun.
Haller (12-3) made the early advantage stand up in a complete-game performance, scattering just five hits over Wesleyan's next six at-bats to secure the win. NCWC freshman Kelsi Bailey (6-11) suffered the loss in the circle, giving up seven runs (four earned) on six hits over six complete.
Offensively, the Bishops stranded 11 runners in the game to the Captains' four. Wesleyan's Pritchett and Seay finished with two rips apiece, while CNU had six different player tally hits.
The loss dropped NCWC into an elimination game versus Methodist on Saturday morning. The 4th-seeded Monarchs had Katie Byrd go 2-for-4 with a double, homerun and three RBIs to pace them in a 12-1 victory, ending the Bishops' season.
NCWC again took an early 1-0 lead in the first when senior Meredith Mills blasted a solo shot to right-center. Methodist countered with four runs in the third, all with two outs, when Byrd's RBI-double was followed by a two-run single by Ally Griffin. The ensuing RBI-single by Alex Winters gave MU a 4-1 lead.
The three-run advantage was more than enough for Jessica Farmer, who picked up the win in the circle. The Monarchs, however, made sure by adding an insurance run in the fourth before exploding for seven runs in the fifth. Byrd capped the rally with a two-run homer to right-center.
Farmer (13-7) allowed one run on six hits over five complete, while NCWC's Fann (11-9) gave up 12 runs (seven earned) on 15 hits.
Wesleyan ends the season with a 17-20 overall record.