D2 SPORTS NETWORK » Softball

D2 Softball – UC San Diego wins big over #1 UAH

admin — Sat, 28 May 2011 21:02:05 +0000

(Courtesy UCSBTritons.com)

SALEM, Va. – For Patti Gerckens, the journey began 19 years ago. She was a young coach from New Jersey who inherited a program that had seen four head coaches in the previous six seasons. She had one part-time assistant. The team went 6-28 in her first season.

Since then Gerckens has guided UC San Diego through a move to Division II from Division III, become the program’s all-time winningest coach and overseen the construction of a new state-of-the art softball facility on campus.

In a career full of highlights, nothing can come close to what transpired on Monday.

Senior third baseman Sarah Woofter went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and junior All-American Camille Gaito tossed another brilliant game in the circle as the 16th-ranked Tritons blew past No. 1 Alabama-Huntsville, 10-3, in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship game at the James Moyer Sports Complex in Salem.

UCSD (45-13) scored 10 runs in the game’s first three innings, while Gaito held the potent UAH lineup down until the final frame to lift the Tritons to their fourth win in five days during the NCAA Finals. The victory marks the program’s first national title and the 30th overall for UC San Diego as an institution.

Alabama-Huntsville, which also won its first three games in Salem to earn a trip to Monday’s championship, concludes the season with an overall record of 48-6-1.

D2 Softball – Hawaii Pacific beats Valdosta State for title

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:30:28 +0000

HPU erased a two-run fifth inning deficit to win its first NCAA Division II Softball College World Series title. The Sea Warriors plated four runs in the fifth inning to hold on to beat Valdosta State, 4-3, in the title game.

“What a win,” said Coach Bryan Nakasone. “It was a long road and nothing came easily and especially not this game.”

HPU posed little threat through four innings, and trailed 2-0 after the Lady Blazers plated two first inning runs. Then in the fifth inning, the Sea Warriors sent 10 batters to the plate and put four runs on the board. VSU countered with a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the score to 4-3.

Sherise Musquiz (34-3) earned the win but not before some tense moments in the seventh inning. Colette Rollins walked to load the bases with just one out, but pinch hitter Amy Brightwell lined to Caira Pires at third for the second out. Musquiz then got April Hutchins to fly out to centerfielder Kozy Toriano for the game’s final out.

“What a way to go out in my last year,” said senior second baseman Casey Sugihara. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Holly Satterfield pitched four and one-third innings for the loss, allowing three runs on four hits. Alyssa Shirey posted two hits and two RBI for VSU, and Amber Shaw recorded two hits and one run scored.

Ciera Senas led HPU in her final performance as a Sea Warrior, recording two hits and one run.

After the game, Sugihara, Ciera Senas, Nicole Morrow, and Sherise Musquiz were named to the All-Tournament Team. Musquiz was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after going 4-0 on the week.

– Courtesy Hawaii Pacific Athletics

D2 Softball – North Georgia sits atop national poll

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:22:45 +0000

For the second straight week and first time in school history, the North Georgia softball team was selected as the No. 1 team in the land in consecutive weeks, this time receiving all 16 first-place votes to become the unanimous team atop the NFCA Division II Top 25 poll.

The Saints continued to stay on top of the Division II softball world this week, sweeping a pair of road Peach Belt Conference doubleheaders and moving to a school record 19-0 on the season.

In a poll that was voted on before North Georgia grinded out a pair of 4-3 and 6-4 victories over 8th-ranked LeMoyne College on Tuesday afternoon, the Saints continue to play one of the toughest schedules in the country and pass every test.

Angelo State sits at 17-2 on the season and move up to the No. 2 slot in the country, while local in-state rival Valdosta State moves up to No. 3 in the latest poll after running their record to a perfect 10-0. Wayne State is slotted fourth at 11-2 overall, a team the Saints inched out a 4-1 victory in nine innings against at the UAH Charger Chillout.

Last year’s World Series participant Winona State rounds out the top five, while the University of Alabama-Huntsville had the biggest move in the poll, falling nine spots from No. 2 to outside the top 10 at No. 11.

The Peach Belt Conference’s presence in the poll dropped from to a pair of teams this week after USC Aiken dropped from the rankings, while Augusta State is headed in the other direction, jumping seven spots to No. 12 in the nation.

– Courtesy of NGCSU Athletics

Lock Haven dominates to win D2 Softball

admin — Thu, 28 May 2009 05:06:00 +0000

Kristin Erb, named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, led Lock Haven (51-6) at the plate and in the circle as the Lady Eagles scored eight runs in their final two at bats to defeat Alabama-Huntsville (54-6) 8-0 to win the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championship at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, VA. The title is the second for the Lady Eagles as they also won the championship in 2006. Lock Haven defeated Emporia State by the score of 3-0, with the game also being played in Salem.

The National Championship Game started off with some history being made. Lock Haven’s Sarah Norris singled to lead off the game. The hit was her 12th of the series which set a new NCAA Division II Finals Series record. The record was previously held by Colleen Thorburn of Kennesaw State in the 1995 tournament.

The Lady Eagle offense broke the game open with 5 runs in the top of the sixth. Erica Eisenbise led off the inning with a single which forced a UAH pitching change. Alex Lewis replaced UAH starter Whitney Hawkins. Eisenbise advanced to second on a passed ball. Amanda Gutmaker reached on an error which scored Eisenbise. Brittany Muthard followed with a single to score Gutmaker. Sage Woodham replaced Lewis on the mound. After a walk, an error and a fielder’s choice, Erb singled in the sixth run of the game. Ilia Lopez followed with a two RBI double to make it 8-0 Lock Haven. The eighth run for the Lady Eagles tied a NCAA Division II Finals Series record for runs by a team in a series with 32. UC Davis also scored 32 runs in 2003.

Kristin Erb improved to 50-5 on the season. She pitched all 6 innings, giving up only 1 hit. Erb struck out 9 and did not walk a batter. The complete game was her 51st of the season and her 33rd shutout of the season and 100th of her career. Whitney Hawkins suffered the loss for Alabama Huntsville. She worked 5 innings, giving up 4 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits.

FULL STORY

–Courtesy ODAC Online

Lock Haven pre-season favorite

admin — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:55:00 +0000

The Lock Haven University softball team will enter the upcoming season in a familiar place as the Lady Eagles have been tabbed as the nation’s top team heading into the 2009 campaign.

The Lady Eagles are ranked No. 1 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Preseason Poll.

Lock Haven received six of 16 first place votes and 388 of 400 possible points.

Behind Lock Haven sits Humbolt State (374 pts.), who received the other 10 first-place votes and St. Edwards (358 pts.) rounds out the top three.

Two other Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) schools are in the top-20 with Kutztown ranked 12th and Bloomsburg sitting at No. 15

LHU head coach Kelley Green is pleased with the honor of the No. 1 ranking and excited to begin the new season.

“We certainly appreciate the recognition, but all 23 of our student-athletes and coaches know it’s not where we are at the beginning of the year, but at the end of the year that truly matters,” Green said. “Our players are committed to the process of improving each day and we are looking forward to putting our best out on the field each day.”

The Lady Eagles will travel to the Aloha State to kick off the 2009 season. LHU is set to take on the University of Hawaii at Hilo on Saturday, Feb. 28.

– Courtesy LHU Athletics

FULL POLL

Jacks Win DII Softball

admin — Sun, 18 May 2008 03:28:00 +0000

It’s only been nine years, which in the course of a career like Frank Cheek’s probably seems like a short trip to the grocery store and back. But 100′s of athletes later, Humboldt State’s run to its second softball national championship stands right there among the highest moments of an esteemed 40-year career.

Cheek’s Lumberjacks got it done Saturday, earning the NCAA Division II Softball Championship with a 1-0 victory over Emporia State in the event finale. The victory completed an unbeaten march through the nationals winner’s bracket, and capped a 10-game winning streak that began with the Jacks emergence from the loser’s bracket at the regional tournament.

Many stars shined for the Jacks again, none brighter than senior pitcher Lizzy Prescott, named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Toiling again one night after throwing a record-setting 17-inning one-hitter, Prescott shut out the Hornets on five hits, striking out 10 and walking none.

The big win finished the Jacks season with a 57-18 record that included the California Collegiate Athletic Association regular season championships and West Region title.

FULL STORY

–excerpt courtesy HSU Sports Information

NCAA Vacates Lynn’s 2005 Softball Title

admin — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:30:00 +0000

CITING NUMEROUS RULES violations in Lynn University’s softball program, the Palm Beach Post is reporting that the NCAA will vacate the Boca Raton school’s 2005 Division II national championship. The athletic program also will be on probation for two years. The Division II Committee on Infractions found that the school gave extra benefits to two players and that former coach Thomas Macera engaged in unethical conduct. Macera was at Lynn for only one season and won the school’s only national championship. He then left to become coach at Valdosta (Ga.) State. Macera could face NCAA sanctions at Valdosta State, which will have to appear before the NCAA if it doesn’t limit Macera’s recruiting to the NCAA’s satisfaction. The NCAA found that Macera gave two Lynn softball players cash payments totaling more than $3,000. The violations were reported by Lynn to the NCAA in September 2005. Lynn officials told the NCAA they thought vacating the title was an excessive penalty, but they are not expected to appeal the findings.