Spring Break
Softball team opens NCAA Regional with 3-1 win over Radford
BEN BUSSARD
Issue date: 5/15/09 Section: Sports
Getting into the winner's bracket is essential in tournament play and the Georgia softball team (40-10) did just that when they defeated Radford (40-14) by a score of 3-1 Thursday afternoon.
Led by seven strong innings from sophomore pitcher Sarah McCloud, the Bulldogs were able to notch the all important first win of the regional round.
"I thought it was a good game-it's nice to get one under the belt," head coach Lu Harris-Champer said, "Sarah [McCloud] pitched well today."
The Bulldogs are the No. 1 seed in the Chapel Hill Regional and now sit comfortably in the winner's side of the bracket, while Radford drops into the loser's bracket and faces elimination in their next game.
Georgia will play the second-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday afternoon following their defeat of Campbell-a game where the Tar Heel bats posted a 16-run first inning.
McCloud allowed four hits, four walks, one earned run and struck out three batters over seven innings of work in order to collect her 16th win of the 2009 season.
Solo home runs by senior shortstop Kristen Schnake and sophomore first baseman Brianna Hesson along with an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Alisa Goler provided enough run support for McCloud to contain the Radford bats.
"[We] didn't swing the bats. We made zero adjustments as hitters," Radford head coach Mickey Dean said, "We had every opportunity to win the ballgame, we just made no adjustments."
The two home runs by the Bulldogs pushed their season total to 71 making them just the third team in SEC history to eclipse the 70 home run mark.
"We had some nice offense at the top of the order," Harris-Champer said, "[It] was good to see Schnake and Hesson come in with the longball."
The Bulldog bats will need to crank it up another notch if they want to keep pace with the hot-swinging Tar Heels on Friday and take one step closer to the Super Regionals.
"We're just thankful to get one and we'll try to get another one," Harris-Champer said, "We're excited about it."
Led by seven strong innings from sophomore pitcher Sarah McCloud, the Bulldogs were able to notch the all important first win of the regional round.
"I thought it was a good game-it's nice to get one under the belt," head coach Lu Harris-Champer said, "Sarah [McCloud] pitched well today."
The Bulldogs are the No. 1 seed in the Chapel Hill Regional and now sit comfortably in the winner's side of the bracket, while Radford drops into the loser's bracket and faces elimination in their next game.
Georgia will play the second-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday afternoon following their defeat of Campbell-a game where the Tar Heel bats posted a 16-run first inning.
McCloud allowed four hits, four walks, one earned run and struck out three batters over seven innings of work in order to collect her 16th win of the 2009 season.
Solo home runs by senior shortstop Kristen Schnake and sophomore first baseman Brianna Hesson along with an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Alisa Goler provided enough run support for McCloud to contain the Radford bats.
"[We] didn't swing the bats. We made zero adjustments as hitters," Radford head coach Mickey Dean said, "We had every opportunity to win the ballgame, we just made no adjustments."
The two home runs by the Bulldogs pushed their season total to 71 making them just the third team in SEC history to eclipse the 70 home run mark.
"We had some nice offense at the top of the order," Harris-Champer said, "[It] was good to see Schnake and Hesson come in with the longball."
The Bulldog bats will need to crank it up another notch if they want to keep pace with the hot-swinging Tar Heels on Friday and take one step closer to the Super Regionals.
"We're just thankful to get one and we'll try to get another one," Harris-Champer said, "We're excited about it."
Be the first to comment on this story