Lakers, Golden Knights End AU’s Softball Tournament Run
May 4, 2003

By Joe Monaco, AU Sports Information

There is no possible way for three plus three to equal two in today’s math. You can add it, subtract it, take the square root and divide it, and you still won’t be able to come up with two.

Unless, you are the Ashland University softball team and place third in both the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season standings and conference tournament and come out of it with a second place finish.

By finishing third in the conference tournament and Wayne State’s fifth place tournament finish, the Eagles (38-16) were able to secure second place in the standings.

After defeating Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State in the first day of the conference tournament, the Eagles came back the following day and lost to Grand Valley State, 2-1, in the winner’s bracket championship then fell to Gannon, 4-2, in the loser’s bracket finals.

In the first game, AU’s Josie Nelson (Prior Lake, MN/Jordan) and GVSU’s Jen Mackson put on a pitching clinic as each pitcher showcased why they are the two top hurlers in the conference.

The Lakers got on the scoreboard first when Jennifer Goldschmeding started off the bottom of the fourth inning with a double. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Sara Vroegindewey and scored on a single by Rachel Blain.

AU first baseman Colleen Devery (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy) evened the score at 1-1 as she opened up the fifth frame with a solo home run over the right field fence. It was Devery’s fifth home run of the season.

GVSU responded in the bottom half of the fifth when Tara Marsh reached base on a fielder’s choice and was plated after a Goldschmeding double. Goldschmeding finished the day with three hits, including two doubles and a single.

That proved to be all Mackson needed as she finished the game, allowing only four hits while striking out 10 hitters. Her record improved to 24-2.

Nelson fell to 24-6 as she threw six innings, allowing four hits and two runs. She struck out six Laker batters.

Shay Mulford (Plainfield, OH/Ridgewood) collected two hits in the game and Sara Maxwell (Elyria, OH/Midview) added a single for the Eagles.

In the second game, the Eagles squandered a 2-0 lead before falling to Gannon, 4-2, in the loser’s bracket finals.

The Eagles got off to a quick 2-0 lead after Nelson and Devery both knocked out solo home runs in the second inning. The shots were Devery’s sixth and Nelson’s third home runs of the season.

The Golden Knights came back to take the lead by scoring four unearned runs on five hits in the fifth inning.

Charity Sharp led Gannon with four hits – all single baggers. Amy Alaskin, Allison Gerger, Becky Zubek, Amy Antczak and Rae Ann D’Aurora each contributed with a hit apiece.

Mulford and Nelson each added two hits for the Eagles.

Nelson suffered the loss and fell to 24-7 after throwing five innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out nine hitters. Leslie Eberhardt (Jeromesville, OH/Hillsdale) pitched the final two innings and allowed only one hit and struck out three Golden Knights.

With the win, Gannon advanced to the conference championship game where it eventually loss to Grand Valley State, 4-0.