Greenville and Westminster Set For SLIAC Championship Battle
The 2018 SLIAC Softball Championship will come down to Greenville University and Westminster College in the championship game. Greenville cruised to a win in Friday's opening game, securing their spot in the championship game for the fifth straight year, while Westminster rebounded to come through the loser's bracket and win an elimination game to cap the day off. Fontbonne University and Webster University were both eliminated on day two of the tournament.
Inside the Game - Greenville 6, Westminster 0 BOX SCORE
Familiar foes Greenville and Westminster started the tournament action on Friday in the winner's bracket game and it was the Panthers who would hand the Blue Jays their fourth straight loss in the series. Greenville struck first with a Kendall Farr two-run home run in the 2nd inning. The Panthers added two more in the 5th and one more in both the 6th and 7th innings. Meanwhile, Greenville pitcher Caitie Opp held Westminster to just three hits in the game including setting the final eight Blue Jay batters of the game down in order.
- Megan Barrett paced the Panthers with three hits
- Caitie Opp worked 7 shutout innings, striking out three for the win
- Emily Holloway, Katie Price, and Madison Washington were the only Blue Jays to pick up a hit in the game
Inside the Game - Webster 5, Fontbonne 3 BOX SCORE
After falling in their first-round games last night Fontbonne and Webster met in an elimination game on Friday. Webster took the early lead when Abby Burroughs hit a two-run home run in the 1st inning. Fontbonne quickly cut into the lead when Maddy Strickland lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Courtney Kedroski. Webster tacked on a run in both the 4th and 5th innings but Fontbonne answered back with two of their own on a Melanie Russo single in the 6th. The Gorloks picked up an insurance run in the 7th and the Griffins had the tying run come to the plate in the bottom of 7th but Gorlok right fielder Amanda Kraus made a shoestring catch to end the game.
- Webster piled up 14 hits in the game with six players recording multiple hits
- Morgan Mansur picked up the win, going 7 innings and striking out five
- Melanie Russo led the Griffins with three hits and two RBI
Inside the Game - Westminster 3, Webster 2 BOX SCORE
Webster jumped on top early, plating a run in the first inning after the Gorloks played small ball. Taylor White started the game with a bunt single and would advance to third after stealing second and seeing the ball sail into the outfield. Another bunt single put runners at first and second for the Gorloks. White would come home on a passed ball but the Gorloks were unable to push anything else across the plate. The Blue Jays quickly answered when Katie Price singled home Brooke Laidley. Amber Tepen would follow her across the plate on a groundout. The Blue Jays added another run in the 2nd inning and the game would remain that way until the 6th when the Gorloks cut the score to 3-2 when Kaitlyn Johnson scored on a wild pitch. Webster put two runners on with two outs in the 7th but saw their rally end on a groundout to short.
- Amber Tepen led the Blue Jays with two hits
- Madison Ingram picked up the win, striking out six, while Katie Price notched the save
- Terri Dearth led Webster with three hits in the game
- The Gorloks out hit Westminster 10-7 but left eight runners on base
What's Next
It is Championship Saturday for the 2018 SLIAC Softball Tournament. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at ABC Park in St. Ann, Missouri with the if necessary game to be played immediately after. Games will be streamed on live video courtesy of Prep Casts.
Championship Game VIDEO STREAM
If Necessary Game VIDEO STREAM
