MEMPHIS-The Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs scored a season-high 11 runs as they rallied for an 11-6 win over Mississippi College Sunday afternoon, capped by the third triple play in school history on the last play of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• CBU (3-8, 1-2 GSC) scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first.
Jennifer Gonzalez (Covina, Calif./Charter Oak HS) drew a leadoff walk and scored from second when
Taylor Rosa-Ramon (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/James Campbell HS) reached on an error.
• The Lady Choctaws (5-4, 2-1) took the lead with a three-run second inning, capitalizing on two singles, two walks, a double and an error.
• The Lady Bucs tied the game back up in the bottom of the second inning.
Ali Hare (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida Baker HS) led off with a walk and moved to second on a
Holly Oyhenart (Menifee, Calif./Paloma Valley HS) sacrifice bunt.
Amy Gracia (Fontana, Calif./International Polytechnic HS) reached on a two-base error, moving Hare to third. Gonzalez smoked a two-run single through the right side to bring both home and tie the game 3-3.
• MC scored three more in the top of the third inning. Brooke Smitherman led off with a homer to right, and they converted a double and four more singles into two runs for a 6-3 lead.
• The Lady Bucs exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Leigh Ward (Oriental, N.C./Pamlico HS) led off with a single up the middle, and Rosa-Ramon doubled to move her to third.
Gabrielle Sereika (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) followed with a two-run double down the left field line to bring CBU within a run.
Kylie Steagall (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) reached on an error, and
Lauren Provence (Millington, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian HS) hit another two-run double down the right field line, scoring when Hare reached on a fielding error. Walks to Oyhenart and Gonzalez loaded the bases, and Ward drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the sixth run and give CBU a 9-6 lead.
• CBU tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Tiari-Jay Fernandez (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) was hit by a pitch, and walks to Gonzalez and Ward loaded the bases.
Amy Koury (Pearland, Texas/Pearland HS) drew a bases-loaded walk to give CBU a 10-6 lead, and Provence hit an infield single to set the final margin at 11-6.
• The Lady Choctaws threatened in the top of the seventh, putting two runners on with none out on a single and a walk. Ashley Subervielle hit a line drive to shortstop, where Gracia held on to a leaping catch. She threw to second for the second out, and Hare threw to Rosa-Ramon at first base to complete the game-ending triple play.
KEY STATS:• Provence went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI.
• Gonzalez went 1-for-2 with two RBI, three walks and a run.
• Ward was 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs, one RBI and a stolen base.
• Sereika went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
• Hare drew two walks with one run and one RBI.
• Steagall earned the win, throwing five scoreless innings of relief as she scattered six hits and a walk against two strikeouts.
NOTABLE:• The triple play was the Lady Bucs' third in school history. They also turned a triple play against Delta State in 2007 and at Ouachita Baptist in 2004.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs return to action with another GSC series next weekend against Shorter. They face Shorter Saturday at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader, with a single game set for noon Sunday.
