Softball 5/1/2009 8:19:39 PM BJ Spigelmyer - DeSales SID

Softball Splits Two Games on Day One of Freedom Championships

Senior Jamie Pfitzenmayer tied the single-season record for hits with two on Friday at the Freedom Conference playoffs tournament.

BOX SCORE (vs. Delaware Valley)

BOX SCORE (vs. King's)

Edwardsville, PA (May 1, 2009) – The DeSales University softball team used a late rally in game one to defeat Delaware Valley College, 5-4, but saw a late rally in game two come up just short, falling to King's College, 6-4, in the second game of the day on a drizzly but then sunny Friday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (24-14 overall) now must win three games on Saturday to take home its second straight Freedom Conference championship as they fall to the loser's bracket. DSU will take on the winner of the first elimination game between Delaware Valley College and Misericordia University at 11:00 am on Saturday morning at the Ralston Complex hosted by Wilkes University. A win in that game will advance the Bulldogs to the championship game, where it will need to defeat King's College twice to take home the title.

In the first game on Friday, DSU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when the Bulldogs manufactured a pair of runs on just one hit, one Aggie error and some nifty base-running by junior Kerri Andrews (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic).

DVC struck back in the top of the third inning, scoring four times on three doubles and a pair of walks but freshman Katie Morrissey (Lanoka Harbor, NJ/Lacey Township) settled down after that allowing DeSales a chance to comeback.

Comeback the Bulldogs did as sophomore Jen Lococo (Easton, PA/Freedom) and senior Kelly Moran (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) hit solo home runs in the fifth inning to tie game at four and DVC's Becky Furman walked four batters in the bottom of the seventh inning including senior Jamie Pfitzenmayer (Annandale, NJ/Hunterdon Central) with the bases loaded on four pitches to allow the game-winning run to cross home plate.

DeSales had just five hits in game one but drew eight walks to consistently put pressure on the DVC defense. Morrissey earned her 13^th win of the season as she scattered six hits over seven innings, while striking out nine Delaware Valley batters.

In the second game the Lady Monarchs jumped all over the Bulldogs early. KC took advantage of some fielding miscues in the first two innings, scoring two unearned runs to take a 2-0 lead. DSU got within one in the bottom of the second inning when junior Kyra Monarek (Allentown, PA/Parkland) singled home sophomore Kate Steiner (Walnutport, PA/Northampton).

KC scored twice in the third to go up 4-1 when Gretchen Tholen doubled home two runs and led 6-1 after its half of the fourth inning when Lauren DeCreny hit a two-run home run to left field.

DSU started its comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior Kristen Cybularz (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll) knocked in Steiner with an RBI groundout and got within two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when senior Amanda Kensecki (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) singled home Pfitzenmayer and Andrews.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs later in the inning when sophomore Kristin Schultz (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) hit a hard line drive that appeared destined to scoot up the middle for a base hit, but the Lady Monarchs second baseman lunged for the ball, stepped on second and threw to first base ending the inning with a double play and thwarting DSU's fifth inning threat.

DeSales brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth, but went in order in the seventh as King's held on for the win and advanced to the championship round tomorrow. Pfitzenmayer led the nine-hit attack with two hits and a run scored. She ties the single-season record for hits with 58 in the game. Steiner was on-base three times and scored twice. Cybularz pitched terrific in the loss, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings, scattering five hits.

As mentioned above the Bulldogs return to action tomorrow at 11:00 am where they will await the winner of the first game and will be looking to advance into the championship game where they will need to beat King's twice in order to earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. For those unable to attend you can follow each game online via LIVE Stats.

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