CCU

#3 Coastal Drops to Losers' Bracket With 7-0 Loss to #1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

           

#3 Coastal Drops to Losers' Bracket With 7-0 Loss to #1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

2004 Big South Softball Tournament, presented by Aeropostale Game #10
(Story courtesy of Birmingham-Southern and the Big South Conference)

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Sarah Pauly topped the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi record for wins in a season, notching her 26th victory in a 7-0 win over Coastal Carolina (27-28) propelling the Islanders to the finals of the 2004 Big South Conference Softball Championships presented by Aeropostale. The Islanders improved to 38-19, and extended their winning streak to 16 games.

Pauly took control from the outset, striking out the side in the first inning on 12 pitches, while Coastal Carolina starter Brittany Nelson responded in kind, retiring the Islanders in order in the bottom of the frame.

Catcher Jennifer Golden reached on a one out error by third baseman Sara Hostetler in the bottom of the second, and first baseman Lindsey Maxey’s drove TAMU-CC’s first base hit to centerfield. Designated hitter Dani Damel dropped a single past the outstretched glove of second baseman Irene Finley to load the bases, and left fielder Shana Washington drove a two-run single up the middle to give the Islanders a 2-0 edge. Centerfielder Michelle Petree reached on an error by shortstop Kelly Feely to load the bases, and a two-out error by centerfielder Katey Allen on a line drive from right fielder Christy Cortez plated three runs, pushing A&M-Corpus Christi’s lead to 5-0.

A&M-Corpus Christi capitalized on two more Coastal errors in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to 7-0.

Pauly notched her 23rd game this season with 10 or more strikeouts. A&M-Corpus Christi pounded out eight hits and capitalized on six Coastal errors, while limiting the Chanticleers (27-28) to three hits.

“Sarah is our horse,” Corpus Christi head coach Missy Phillips-Dickerson said. “When you get to this point, you need to ride your horses as long as you can. She’s done a great job for us all season long. This is what we expect of her. She helps make this team.”

Washington went two-for-three with two runs batted in, and the Islanders received singles from six players. Pauly fanned 12 batters to increase her season total to 414, and is just 17 away from her own single season record of 431. Nelson allowed six runs on six hits over four innings.

The Islanders advance to the Big South Conference finals, and will play the winner of the Winthrop/Coastal Carolina losers’ bracket finals, which will start at 11 a.m. CST. The championship game will start at 1 p.m.

“We made errors,” Coastal head coach Jess Dannelly said. “Not to take anything from them but they got started with bloop hits. Then they got quality hits after that. The errors hurt, but all the errors in the world don’t hurt if you don’t score runs.”