Trojans Come Through in the Clutch
April 29, 2009
With the season on the line, TU Softball broke through to take a close, extra inning game to extend their season. After going down in eight innings in the first round, Taylor would not allow history to repeat itself. The Trojans faced off against the Cougars from the University of St. Francis in an elimination game of the Mid-Central College Conference Tournament. Taylor won this eight inning game 5-4 on a walk-off two-run double.
Twice the Trojans were up to their last three outs down a run. But as they have all season they continued to battle and would not go quietly. St. Francis surged ahead in the sixth inning with two runs on two hits, to take the lead 3-1.
A freshman started the clutch hitting for the Trojans. Laura Strode had one of her two hits to start off the seventh inning. Moving a base after a passed ball allowed a Liz Lewellen single to score Strode. Still down a run, an Alyssa Brodbeck single kept the inning alive. A ball in the dirt allowed both runners to advance. With runners on second and third with one out, a laser line drive by Emily Kramer was caught but allowed Lewellen to tie the game.
The Cougars fought back in the eighth, capitalizing on one of Taylor's four errors to score one run. But senior pitcher Jill Tomaszewski shut down the Cougars after that. Tomasewski ended up with nine strikeouts on the day.
Again facing a deficit in their last at bat, Maggie Burns started things off with a single to center and then senior Laurie Shumaker added an infield single. That left freshman Laura Strode batting with runners on second and third, and the freshman who went 2-for-4 in the game, appeared to tie the game with a sacrifice fly. But the runner had left early leading to a double play and Shumaker still standing 60 feet away as the tying run. Lewellen added to her solid day by drawing a walk from the USF pitcher.
That brought up senior Lindsey Arnold to the plate with two on and two out. Arnold had been 0-for-4 in the game, but the conference leader in hits per game was due for an impact play. As fans and players on both sides held their breath, Arnold delivered for the Trojans. She hit a towering fly ball to left center that seemed to be headed over the fence, but the Cougar left fielder would not give up on the play. The ball hit the top of the fence and her mitt at the same time and dropped to the ground. Shumaker came across and Lewellen rounded the bases from first to seal the victory for Taylor.
With the 5-4 win Taylor stays alive in the double elimination tournament. The 17-23 Trojans will now face off against Indiana Wesleyan University in another elimination game tonight at 10:0 pm.