| Lucia Meola's seventh inning
double got Cortland on the board. Salisbury photo by Ryan Coleman |
A double by Lucia Meola and a scarifice fly by Cassie Kardias gave Cortland State a 2-1 win in the opening game of the NCAA D-III Softball Championship at Eau Claire, Wis.
"It was great to show up and truly put it on the field," said Cortland head coach Julie Lenhart. "It does not get any better than this."
Through six innings it looked as if it were going to be Salisbury's day. The Sea Gulls had a 1-0 lead, and Rachel Johnson had struck out 11 Red Dragons including one to escape a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning.
Cortland changed its fortunes in the seventh, however, opening the frame with a free pass to Jamie Bucci. The Red Dragon followed with a single to center field by Diane Cook to put runners on first and second. Meola's double scored Bucci to tie the score.
Cook took a wide turn at third, past Lenhart's stop sign. "Thats a freshman," said Lenhart. "We do want to draw the throw, we want them to look like going to score."
Kardias took care of getting Cook home with a sacrifice fly.
Salisbury scored its lone run in the fifth inning. Lindsay McCabe walked and was moved to third on two successive sacrifice bunts. Harley Hill's single through the left side of the infield scored McCade. Salisbury loaded the bases with two walks but a flyout would end the threat.
"They got us to fly out the majority of our outs instead of putting the ball in play," said Salisbury coach Margie Knight. "You're hoping that one run would hold up but you have to play the game all the way through."
"We will bounce back," declared Hill.