Mustangs win first game at regional
Game-winning double in 8th from Burkhart seals 3-2 win
POSTED: May 9, 2008
EMPORIA, Kan. — The No. 12-ranked Southwest Minnesota State softball team picked up its first win at the NCAA Division II North Central Regional tournament Thursday in Emporia, Kan.
The Mustangs (39-10) earned a 3-2, eight-inning win over Northwest Missouri State in the first round of the tournament. The game was originally scheduled to be played Wednesday but was postponed to Thursday due to inclement weather.
Amanda Burkhart hit the game-winning single down the left-field line in the bottom of the eighth to score Erin Dickhausen. Dickhausen reached base earlier in the inning on a walk.
“You could see Northwest Missouri’s frustration when they walked Erin,” SMSU head coach Shawn Semler said. “That’s the last person they wanted on the basepaths. We bunted her over on a great bunt by Meghan Laetsch. The count went 3-0 on Burkhart. It went 3-2 and you always still feel good about her up at the plate. She drilled the ball down the line and that was it. She hit it so hard that it took any anticipation of a play at home away — that was nice.”
Southwest scored its first run in the fifth inning off an RBI single to center by Dickhausen.
But Northwest Missouri State countered with two runs in the top of the sixth off SMSU pitcher Amanda Johnson to go up 2-1. The run came on a double to left field and the second was on a throwing error by Dickhausen.
SMSU’s Kiley Petersen tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run over the center-field fence.
“When we got 1-0 we were really excited,” Semler said. “But, we knew their lineup was tough and they came back at us. They have one of the best hitting teams in the region. It was disheartening. But, Kylie’s homer to tie it was great. She had been struggling. She struck out and flew out before that. In that second at-bat, though, you could see her getting confident. On the homer, she just crushed it.”
Johnson earned the win in eight innings of work. She had seven strikeouts while giving up two earned runs on six hits and walking one.
Cola Krueger took the loss for Northwest Missouri. She threw 7 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on six hits while striking out six and walking two.
SMSU left five on base while Northwest Missouri stranded six.
The Mustangs move on to play NSIC rival Winona State in the second round at 12:30 p.m. today in Emporia. The Warriors beat Central Missouri Thursday to advance.
Semler said he’s happy the Mustangs get another crack at the Warriors, who beat Southwest twice in the NSIC tournament last weekend in Marshall. Johnson will throw for the Mustangs today.
“I think our girls want to get back at them,” Semler said. “There’s unfinished business to take care of. We didn’t play well last weekend against them. Whatever could go wrong did. We need to sharpen our defense a little. If we do that, we’ll be fine. We know we’re the better team and that we should come out on top.”
NWMS 000 002 00—2 6 0
SMSU 000 011 01—3 6 2
N-Cola Krueger. S-Amanda Johnson. WP-Johnson (28-4). LP-Krueger (13-9). 2B: N-Cortney Channell (12), Janelle Krohn (6), Tiffany Graham (7). HR: S-Kiley Petersen (5). E: S-Erin Dickhausen, Andrea Fennern. DP-SMSU 1. LOB: NWMS 6, SMSU 5. HBP: N-Channell. S-Amanda Opatz. A—238. Time: 1:42.
