Sam Houston State Advances to Championship Game Against Texas State
SAN ANTONIO, Texas
–Sam Houston State returns to the championship game for the first time in
five years after defeating McNeese State, 3-2 in nine innings, in the Southland
Conference Softball Tournament at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio, Texas.
Sam
Houston State scored three runs on three solo home runs to advance to its first
championship game since 2007 when the Bearkats faced Texas State. The Bearkats
relied on pitcher Tomi Garrison, who came in from the bullpen to bail Sam
Houston out of clutch situations, including a bases-loaded jam in the seventh
inning. Garrison (12-9) picked up her second win of the day after 2.2 innings
of hitless pitching while striking out three.
With a
full count in the top of the ninth, Kim Damian, the Southland hitter of the
year, blasted a solo home run to dead center field. The blast was Damian’s
team-leading 11th homer of the year and 35th RBI, which proved to be the
winning run.
Trailing
2-1 with only two outs remaining in its tournament life, McNeese was able to
put together some late-game theatrics to send the game to extra innings. With a
runner in scoring position, Kim Kennedy lined a single to center. Tori
Benavidez came up throwing from center and just missed picking up the assist at
home as McNeese’s pinch-runner MyKeisha Young slid in right before the tag. The
Cowgirls would eventually load the bases with one out but could not pick up the
win as Garrison struck out the two batters she faced in the inning.
After
being shutout for the first three innings, Sam Houston’s power came to life in
the fourth. Freshman Hillary Adams led off the inning with a solo blast to
center field. Adams’ ninth homerun of the season was followed by junior Ashley
Isbell’s sixth homer of the year. Isbell lined a solo shot of her own to center
to give the Bearkats the 2-0 advantage.
McNeese
was able to finally get on the scoreboard in the sixth inning with the game’s
third home run. Junior Marissa Koetting hit her seventh homer and team-leading
29th RBI of the season with a solo knock over the left center wall.
Sam
Houston (29-20) will play for the Southland title tomorrow starting at 11:05
a.m. The Bearkats must win twice tomorrow in order to claim the title while the
Bobcats only need a single win. Tomorrow’s championship game will be shown
exclusively on ESPN3. McNeese State concludes its 2012 campaign with a 34-21
overall record.