Box Score AKRON, Ohio – The No. 1-ranked Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College softball team defeated No. 8 Berea, 4-2, on day one of the USCAA Softball National Championship at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. SMWC and Berea met up at 6 p.m. after Berea defeated Penn State Schuylkill in a play-in game earlier in the day.
The Pomeroys opened the game in dominating fashion as senior pitcher Brooke Jordan forced Berea to go three up, three down in the top of the first. SMWC's bats then came alive in the bottom of the first with a double by sophomore Emma Riffe, which was followed by an RBI single by freshman Marlee Yeager. Senior Shelby Turner then gave the Pomeroys a 2-0 lead with a sacrifice bunt that scored Yeager.
The second inning saw each team go three up, three down. Jordan continued her pitching dominance into the top of third as she again retired Berea's first three batters. In the bottom of the third, Yeager hit her seventh home run of the season. Yeager's homer also brought around junior Sarah Burnham who had reached on a walk.
The Pomeroys now led 4-0 heading into the fourth and again Jordan didn't allow a hit. Junior Kimberly Strattman walked to start off the bottom of the fourth but would be left on base as Berea retired SMWC's next three batters.
In the top of the fifth, Jordan again retired the first three batters she faced, while SMWC again left one runner stranded. This time it was Yeager who had reached on a walk to lead off the inning.
With SMWC up 4-0 over Berea and Jordan throwing a no-hitter, the game was delayed due to lightning. The game would resumed after an hour delay, however, the break benefitted Berea and hurt SMWC.
In the top of the sixth, Berea notched three hits and two runs to cut SMWC's lead to 4-2. Berea then forced three straight outs in the bottom of the sixth.
With the pressure on SMWC in the top of the seventh, the Pomeroys needed just three more outs to avoid the Berea comeback and being sent to the loser's bracket. Jordan struck out the first two batters she faced before allowing a single and giving Berea a much needed runner.
With the tying run at the plate, Berea almost got a break as Strattman committed a fielding error that allowed Berea's batter to reach first. However, Berea's lead runner tried to take third on the play. Strattman was able to recover and deliver to Yeager at third base for the final out of the game.
Yeager finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate and scored two runs, while recording three RBI's. Jordan went the distance to get her 13th win of the season, while striking out 11 batters along the way.
The Pomeroys will now face fourth-seeded Briarcliffe at 2 p.m. at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. Briarcliffe defeated No. 5 Penn State Hazleton on day one, 4-1. SMWC's game vs. Briarcliffe will feature LIVE stats and video.
