Emory Softball Season Comes To An End With NCAA To Salisbury

The Emory University softball team saw its 2009 campaign come to an end on Sunday afternoon following an 8-0 loss to Salisbury University in NCAA Tournament play.  The setback was the second for the 24th-ranked Eagles in the double-elimination event and closed out the squad's record at 32-12.  The host Sea Gulls, the No. 1 seed in the regional and ranked 11th nationally, eventually earned a spot at the Division III national championships later on in the day when they topped Bridgewater College.

Salisbury jumped to a 3-0 advantage in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a three-run homer by catcher Lauren  Brenneman.  The Sea Gulls closed out the game with a five-run burst in the bottom of the fifth with Brenneman and Stacey Malarkey coming through with run-producing doubles in the uprising.

Emory senior pitcher Shanon Andersen suffered the loss, leaving her record at 17-9.  Career-wise, she finished fourth on the school's all-time list with 38 career victories while her 445 strikeouts stand first.

Freshman left fielder Jessica Thomas picked up two of the team's five hits and finished the year second on the squad in hitting with a .418 average, second only to Cassie Walsh's .424.  Thomas tied senior Kim Bandy for the team lead with 59 hits and her 15 doubles paced the team and placed her fifth on the school's seasonal ladder.