Lady Eagle Softball Eliminated From C-USA Tournament
5/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Lady Eagle Softball Eliminated From C-USA Tournament
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - East Carolina started off with a bang, scoring six runs in the first inning and held on for the 6-0 win over top-seeded Southern Miss, Friday, in the Conference USA Softball Tournament at Ulmer Stadium here on the University of Louisville campus.
With the loss, Southern Miss (32-24) was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament. The No. 6 seeded Pirates (47-23-1) advances to face No. 4 seed DePaul, which eliminated host Louisville, the second seed, in the other loser's bracket game.
"I'm extremely disappointed," Southern Miss Head Coach Gay McNutt said of her team's early exit from the tournament. "I am not one to make excuses, but I think that we are emotionally spent, after doing what we did last weekend (winning the C-USA regular season championship).
"We just didn't play. For some reason, we deviated from everything that helped us win the championship in the regular season. When those things happen, you're not going to win."
East Carolina's Kate Manuse knocked in the first run of the day with an RBI single through the left side, scoring Christine Sheridan. Kristen Johnson followed with a single of her own to left field and plated Leigh Savoy. Southern Miss starter Danielle Wymer forced the Pirates? third run after walking Lara Brickhouse, sending Johnson home. Shirley Burleson recorded two RBIs with a single up the middle, and the final run of the first inning was marked when Andiey Acosta scored on a Southern Miss fielding error.
That would be all the scoring that ECU would need as the Lady Eagles had just five runners reach base in the game.
The Pirates' Keli Harrell (16-7) pitched the complete-game win, posting six strikeouts and walking none. Wymer (9-7) took the loss for Southern Miss, giving up six runs, five earned, with one walk in one-third of an inning. Jessica Holaway pitched the final 5.2 innings in relief for the Lady Eagles, giving up just three hits and recording six strikeouts.
Sheridan led the offensive charge for the Pirates, batting 2-for-4 and notching a stolen base.
Diane Hammes and Sue Logan each went 2-for-3 to lead Southern Miss, while Hammes also picked up a double.
Now, the Lady Eagles will wait to see if there season will be extended with an invitation to compete in one of the eight NCAA Regional Tournaments. Selection for the at-large bids to the tournament will be made Sunday night.
"I think we still have a slim chance to make it to a regional," McNutt said. "We did win the regular season, and (the selection committee) has to look at that. We have a slim chance, but it's still a chance. We will just wait to see what happens on Sunday and hope for the best."
C-USA Tournament Schedule/Results:
Thursday, May 13
Game 1 - (5) Houston 3, (4) DePaul -- Final
Game 2 - (3) USF 7, (6) East Carolina 1 -- Final
Game 3 - (5) Houston 5, (1) Southern Miss 1 -- Final
Game 4 - (3) USF 1, (2) Louisville 0 -- Final
Friday, May 14
Game 5 - (6) East Carolina 6, (1) Southern Miss 0 -- Final
Game 6 - (4) DePaul 5, (2) Louisville 3 -- Final (nine innings)
Game 7 - (5) Houston vs. (3) USF -- 4 p.m.
Game 8 - (6) East Carolina vs. (4) DePaul -- 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 15
Game 9 - Loser G7 vs. Winner of G8 -- 11 a.m.
Game 10 - Championship -- 2:05 p.m.
All Times are Eastern.