Emory Softball Sees Season Come To An End With Loss To Rowan In NCAA Tourney

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The Emory University softball team saw its 2011 season come to an Saturday afternoon as it came out on the short end of a 6-5 decision to Rowan University in an elimination game at the Salisbury Regional of the NCAA D-III Championships.  The Eagles wind up the year with an overall record of 41-4-2 while the Profs stay alive in the postseason while raising their record to 30-12.

Emory outhit Rowan by 11-9 margin but stranded 10 runners on base to the Profs’ eight.  Freshmen Ally Kersthold and Sophia Tarte, along with sophomore Dana Goodenough, each collected a pair of safeties to key the Eagles’ offensive attack. Tarte also knocked in a pair of runs and scored three times.

Taking the field about 16 hours after Friday’s 13-inning marathon setback to Christopher Newport, the Eagles never led in the game and had to battle back from 3-0 and 6-3 deficits.  Rowan jumped on Emory in the bottom of the first, scoring three times before a batter was retired.  The Profs saw their first five batters reach base in the uprising with Jenny Arcella delivering a two-run single that was the key blow in the frame.  With two on and nobody out, freshman Lena Brottman came on in relief of starter Bridget Holloway to quell the onslaught without any more runs crossing the plate.  Rowan threatened again in the third when it loaded the bases with one out, however, Brottman worked her way out of the jam by getting Samantha Stevens to line out and striking out Julie Leskanic. 

After putting runners on base in each of the first three innings, Emory got on the board in the top of the fourth when Tarte picked an opportune time to sock her first homer of the season.  The Eagles mounted an inspired rally in their half of the sixth when, with Tarte at second and two out, senior Zara Louy came through with her second clutch pinch hit in as many days that drove in Tarte, cutting the deficit to one run.  Freshman Lauren Gorotdetsky, who made a spectacular catch in center field earlier in the fifth inning, knotted things up with single down the right field line that scored pinch runner Nikki Perez.  A single by Kersthold, followed by a wild pitch, put runners at second and third, but a pop out ended the rally.

The Profs reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Leskanic doubled with one out.  After a walk, an Emory error loaded the bases.  Ashley Minch then came through with a three-run double to center field that gave No. 2-seeded Rowan a 6-3 lead. 

With its season on the line heading into the top of the seventh, Emory refused to go quietly.  With Jessica Thomas on first base with two out, a double by Tarte down the left field line scored Thomas with Tarte advancing to third on the play as a result of a throwing error.  After a walk to Brittany Boeshore put runners at the corner, the Eagles crept to within one run when another Rowan fielding miscue scored Tarte and put Boeshore at second.  However, that was as far as the rally would go as a ground out ended the game. 

Brottman was saddled with the loss, leaving her record for the year at 16-3.  Tossing a complete game and notching the win for Rowan was Jamie Minix who upped her mark to 14-6.