May 4, 2008

Marshall, MN – The University of Mary started Sunday with two wins but fell just shy of advancing to the championship game of the Northern Sun softball tournament, suffering a late-inning 6-5 loss to eighth-ranked and regular-season NSIC champion Southwest Minnesota State University.

The Marauders finished third in the tournament, one win short of playing Winona State for the title and a chance to advance to the NCAA regional tournament. The Warriors defeated SMSU 4-1 in the title game.

Two Marauders were named to the all-tournament team. Sophomore catcher Dre Brunskill (Valley Center, CA) and freshman center fielder Sami Antolin (Campbell, CA) both were honored for their play in the tournament. Brunskill hit .529 (9-for-17) with three runs scored and two RBI. Antolin drove in a tournament-high six runs, scored three, and went 8-for-20 (.400 at the plate).

Leading 5-1 in their third game of the day, the Marauders were in position to defeat the Mustangs for the second time in two weeks. The Marauders started the game with a run in the top of the first. Meghan Ward led off with a single and would eventually score on a throwing error by the SMSU catcher. The Mustangs would even out the game by scoring one themselves in the bottom of the inning.

U-Mary would strike for four runs on six hits in the third. Danelle Lunn, Priscilla Rios, Ward and Sami Antolin all had run-scoring hits in the inning, the last two with two outs.

Freshman Pitcher Brenda Langston kept the Mustangs in check, allowing just the one run through four innings. In the fifth, though, SMSU would begin its charge, scoring two unearned runs on a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly to close within 5-3.

U-Mary tried to retaliate in the sixth as Dre Brunskill would double, but she would be left stranded at second base.

SMSU used clutch hits in the sixth to take the lead. After two hits with one out, a two-run single by Megan Laetsch tied the game and Angela Burkhart followed with the winning hit.

U-Mary would go out in order in the top of the seventh, ending the Marauders 2008 season.

Brunskill and Ward both had three hits for U-Mary and Antolin added two as the Marauders pounded out 12 hits. U-Mary left nine runners on base.

Langston went the distance, allowing five earned runs and 12 hits while striking out six.

U-Mary opened Sunday with two shutout wins in loser-out games. The Marauders started with a 3-0 win over Wayne State College behind an impressive performance by Langston. The freshman threw a 1-hitter in the victory, striking out four and walking one.

There was no score in the game until the Marauders produced two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Antolin singled up the middle and stole second. She then scored on a single by Leslie Benavidez. Lunn would follow with a two-out single to score Benavidez from second.

The deal was sealed in the seventh. Ward singled, stole second, and scored on a two-out hit by Antolin.

Ward, Antolin and Maegan Lunn all collected two hits for U-Mary.

The Marauders would then get a little revenge for an opening-round loss to Concordia-St. Paul, brushing the Golden Bears out of the tournament with a 6-0 win.

U-Mary wasted no time getting out in front, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Benvidez scored on a throwing error by the CSP catcher and a Danelle Lunn single scored Brunskill.

Three more runs were tacked on in the second. Antolin hit a two-run double and would score on a single by Brunskill. A final run scored in the sixth on a single by Benavidez.

Another freshman pitcher played a key role in the win. Ashley Watson kept CSP off the scoreboard, striking out seven while improving her season record to 14-10. She allowed five hits and three walks. Watson pitched out of potential difficulties twice, leaving two runners stranded in the fifth and the bases loaded in the sixth.

Brunskill had three hits in the win, an RBI and a run scored. Antolin was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Benavidez had two hits, scoring once and driving in one. Sara Naglosky was 2-for-2 at the plate, scoring twice and earning a walk.

The Marauders close the season with a record of 31-30.