Texas A&M 6, Louisiana Tech 0 (Louisiana Tech eliminated)Fourth-ranked Texas A&M exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fifth to break open a scoreless game and defeat Louisiana Tech 6-0 Sunday afternoon at Aggie Softball Complex.
With the win, Texas A&M (52-7) advances to the Super Regional and will host the winner of Stanford and UMass next weekend.
Louisiana Tech (37-29) ends its season after an impressive postseason run that included capturing the Western Athletic Conference Tournament title and winning two games over SEC Auburn in the College Station Regional.
All-American Megan Gibson (36-1) threw a complete-game no-hitter in the win over Tech Sunday as a second-inning walk to Kylie Bassett was all that stood in the way of a perfect game.
For the second day in a row, Gibson - who had defeated Tech 4-0 Saturday - struck out 11 Tech batters and never allowed a runner past first base.
UCLA 4, Nevada 3 (Nevada eliminated)
NevadaThe Nevada softball team’s quest for an NCAA Regional championship fell short on Sunday as the Wolf Pack fell 4-3 in the title game to UCLA at Easton Stadium.
The loss ends Nevada’s season at 44-18. UCLA advanced to the NCAA Super Regional with the win.
The Wolf Pack led 3-2 at one point in the game and the contest was tied at 3 going into the sixth inning. But the Pack gave up a solo home run in the bottom of the six and could not get a rally going in the seventh inning.
UCLA took a 1-0 lead in the first inning but Nevada came back to take a 2-1 advantage in the third inning. Singles by Kym Silagyi and Noelle Micka put runners on the corners with two outs. Junior Brittany Puzey delivered a double to the gap to score both runners and give Nevada the lead.
UCLA got the runs back in the bottom of the third inning, though the damage could have been worse. The Bruins got two runs quickly and chased Nevada starter Jordan McPherson. Fellow senior Richelle Villescas came on and stabilized the game, however. UCLA had the bases loaded with just one out and two runs in but Villescas got Monica Harrison to pop out to first and then induced a ground-ball out from Jenny Schroeder to get out of the inning.
Nevada came back in the top of the fifth to manufacture a run to tie the game. Nevada did not hit the ball out of the infield as Silagyi singled to first and moved to second on a sac bunt from pinch hitter Katie Stith. Silagyi went to third on pinch hitter Michelle Beach’s groundout to third and then Micka scored Silagyi with an infield single to shortstop.
But Samantha Camuso led off the sixth inning with a home run off Villescas and that gave the Bruins the 4-3 lead.
Game 1 Fresno State 3, California 2
Game 2 California 7, Fresno State 6 (9) (Fresno State eliminated)
Fresno State needed two victories on Sunday vs. Cal to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals and after earning a 3-2 win in game one and overcoming a 5-0 deficit in game two to tie the game at 6-6, the Bulldogs' season ended with a 7-6 loss in nine innings on Sunday night in the Fresno Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
Game One
Haley Perkins reached on an error followed by Haley Gilleland getting hit by a pitch. Caitlin Stiglich then reached first on an infield single to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first.
On the 13th pitch of the at bat, Aja Scheuber hit a single to center to score two, for a 2-0 Bulldog lead.
With two outs and no runners on, Cal would load the bases and tie the game in the top of the fifth at 2-2.
The Bulldogs would get a run back in the bottom of the fifth after Scheuber walked and scored on a single to center by pinch hitter Lisamarie Coronado.
Morgan Melloh and Gilleland led the team with two hits a piece.
With the game one win, the Bulldogs handed Cal its first loss of the Regional and forced a deciding game seven.
Game Two
Cal was the visiting team in the Championship game and got an early run in the bottom for the first. They then hit a grand slam off of Morgan Melloh to left field in the bottom of the second for an early 5-0 lead.
After a Melloh single, Gilleland would hit a triple to right center to get the Bulldogs on the board in the top of the third and cut the lead to 5-1. Gilleland then scored from third on a foul pop out by Stiglich. It was 5-2 Bears after three.
Cervantez hit a double to lead off the fourth and was bunted to third by Andrea Ortega. She then scored off a single up the middle by Coronado for the third run of the game for the Bulldogs.
Cal added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth to make it 6-3, scoring on a wild pitch.
Perkins doubled down the left field line to lead off the top of the fifth and reached second on a single by Gilleland.
Marissa Drewrey was then replaced in the circle by Valerie Arioto.
A fielder's choice sent Scheuber to first and brought in Perkins from third to cut the Bear lead to 6-4.
Ortega then reached first on an error which brought in Gilleland for a 6-5 score.
In the top of the sixth, Melloh walked and Michelle Palazuelos would pinch run for her. Perkins then singled and GIlleland walked to load the bases with one out for the new Cal pitcher, Brittany LaRosa.
A wild pitch tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth. Drewrey would re-enter in the circle for the Bears.
Tied at 6-6, the game went to extra innings. Cal would get the bases loaded in the bottom of the eight but the Bulldogs were able to get out of the inning.
With a runner on third, Cal catcher Julie Meyer hit a single to left field to win the game 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth.
Arizona State 8, Hawai`i 0 (5) (Hawai`i eliminated)
Second-ranked Arizona State (59-6) overpowered the University of Hawai`i softball team (40-21) today, 8-0, in five innings at Farrington Stadium on the Arizona State campus. The loss eliminated the 'Bows from the NCAA tournament's Tempe Regional and thus ended UH's season. Hawai`i's Kate Robinson (18-10) took the loss in her final collegiate game, while Katie Burkhart (34-5) earned the win for ASU.
Arizona State scored early and often and Hawai`i's offense was shutdown by Burkhart for the second time this weekend. The Sun Devils scored one run in the first, two in the second and then the knockout punch was five runs in the bottom of the fourth.
NFCA Tournament Central
NCAA Tournament Bracket
| 2008 FRESNO STATE REGIONAL (Host: Fresno State) |
| Friday, May 16 |
| Game 1-California 4, San Diego State 1 |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
| Game 2- Fresno State 11, Sacramento State 0 (5) |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
| Saturday, May 17 |
| Game 3-California 3, Fresno State 0 |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
| Game 4-San Diego State 7, Sacramento State 1 |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
| Game 5-Fresno State 2, San Diego State 0 (11) |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
| Sunday, May 18 |
| Game 6-Fresno State 3, California 2 |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
| Game 7-California 7, Fresno State 6 (9) |
Live Stats |
Box Score |
Recap |
|