Pfeiffer Softball Downs Wesleyanto Force Game 7, Falls to Wolves in Championship Game
Misenheimer, N.C. (April 30, 2022) – The 25th-ranked Pfeiffer University softball team downed Wesleyan College 7-3 to force a seventh and deciding game of the USA South Divisional Tournament on Saturday, but was edged in the second game 2-1, with Wesleyan advancing to the USA South Championship Series.
The Basics
#25/1E Pfeiffer def. #5W Wesleyan, 7-3
#5W Wesleyan def. #25/1E Pfeiffer, 2-1
Records
Wesleyan – 24-14
Pfeiffer – 35-10
Location – Misenheimer, N.C. –
Jack Ingram Field
How it Happened – Game 1
The Falcons scored in six of the seven innings, taking a 7-3 win to force a deciding championship game.
Pfeiffer got thing started in the second inning when senior
Hannah Tyner delivered an RBI double ri right field that scored
Alexis Walter.
Wesleyan would tie the score at 1-1 in the second when Tihana Zupanic hit a solo home run to left field, her first of the tournament. The third inning saw Pfeiffer reclaim the 2-1 lead on a Kyndel Warrem solo shot to left field.
An
Ashlyn Kennedy two-run blast in the fourth increased the Falcon lead to 4-1 Wesleyan's Zupanic collected her second RBI of the game for the Wolves in the fifth inning on an RBI single to pull to within 4-2.
Pfeiffer got a sacrifice fly in the fifth to go up 5-2 but Wesleyan would get an RBI single in their half of the inning to get to 5-3.
Pfeiffer's
Gracie Griffin struck for a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 6-3 and in the seventh,
Gretchen Wolpert delivered a an RBI double to make it 7-3.
Wesleyan, the home team in game one, opened the bottom of the seventh with a single and would advance to second on a passed ball, but Pfeiffer pitcher
Taylor Parrish was able to retire the Wolves to give the Falcons the 7-3 win.
How it Happened – Game 2
In the deciding championship game, Pfeiffer got on the board early on a Kyndel Warrek double down the left field line that scored Kennedy.
Pfeiffer would hold the lead until the fourth when Wesleyan's Sabrina Bowen hit a two-RBI triple to right center field, putting Wesleyan up 2-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, Pfeiffer had runners on first and second, but a fielder's choice would record the second out. Again with runners on first and second, Ashlynn Kennedy's hard-hit line drive was snagged by Wesleyan pitcher Tihana Zupanic to end the game, sending Wesleyan to the USA South Championship series.
Up Next
The Falcons will await the NCAA selection show, in hopes of receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
