University of St. Thomas Athletics
43-6
Eastern Conn. St.
35-11
Softball falls 2-1 in opener at NCAA finals
5/23/2019 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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St. Thomas Softball managed just three hits and lost to Eastern Connecticut State 2-1 in Thursday's opening game of the eight-team NCAA Championships in Tyler, Texas.
The No. 3-ranked Tommies (43-6) had a 10-game winning streak halted, while the Warriors (35-11) ran their win streak to 10.
The Tommies will play an elimination game in the double-elimination tournament on Friday at 11 a.m. against Williams (Mass.), which lost 7-1 to Texas Lutheran.
Elise Barnes drove in the game's first run with a first-inning single to score Kristin McGonigal, who had walked and stole second.
Eastern scored two runs in the third inning with two infield singles, followed by a two-out single by Alexis Tyrrell.
The Warriors' Morgan Bolduk (21-1) allowed just one walk and three singles, and retired 15 in a row from the second through the sixth innings.
The Tommies stranded three runners in scoring position -- in the first, second and seventh innings. Chase Shortly's leadoff single in the seventh put the tying run on. Pinch runner Marina O'Leary was bunted to second, took third on a ground out, but a game-ending grounder closed out the Eastern victory.
Kierstin Anderson-Glass (26-4) allowed seven hits with nine strikeouts and no walks but lost her first start since April 15.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Morgan Bolduk (21-1)
L: Anderson-Glass, Kierstin (26-4)
Batting:
2B: Julia SanGiovanni 1
RBI: Alexis Tyrrell 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sabrina LeMere 1 ; Megan Hodgdon 1
PO: Calli Duthrie 1
Batting:
RBI: Barnes, Elise 1
SH: Connelly, Dana 1 ; Baniecke, Megan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McGonigal, Kristin 1
SB: McGonigal, Kristin 1
