Tri-C falls to No. 19 Louisburg College in NJCAA DII Softball World Series Opening Round

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (athletics.tri-c.edu) – The No. 18 seeded Cuyahoga Community College Triceratops (33-7, 16-1 OCCAC) fell in their opening game in the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series, 4-2, to the No. 19 ranked and No. 15 seeded Louisburg College (41-7, 15-1 CJCC), May 19.

The loss does not eliminate the Triceratops, as they will head to the consolation bracket in the double-elimination field.

Both pitchers started the game hot, with no score through two innings. But, in the third, the offenses finally broke through. The Hurricanes jumped on Julee Phillips (So./Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), sprinkling five hits and three earned runs against the Triceratops' ace. Phillips threw 117 pitches in her 5.0 innings, as the Louisburg batters continued to foul off and work longer counts.

The Triceratops went with the same strategy but were only able to muster three hits in the contest. Despite that, Tri-C had a chance to win the game in the top of the seventh after Katelyn Smith (So./Columbus, Ohio) laced a two-out single and Sophie Durbin (So./Mansfield, Ohio/Mount Vernon Nazarene) walked. Reese Adkins (So./Oak Harbor, Ohio) stepped to the plate and got good wood on the ball, but her line drive went straight into the third baseman's glove to snuff out the Tri-C rally.

Errors were costly for both teams, as both Tri-C and Louisburg had three errors in the field. Both of the Triceratops' runs came via error or passed ball, while only two of the Hurricanes' runs were earned – the other two coming via an error and passed ball as well.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Phillips and Louisburg's Magen Daniels started the game on fire, with only three baserunners across the first two innings, all of which were Hurricanes.
• Tri-C struck first with Durbin racing in to score on a dropped fly ball by the Louisburg shortstop to give the Triceratops a 1-0 lead.
• Louisburg immediately tied the game in the home half of the third with an RBI double to center field, drawing the contest to 1-1 through three innings.
• A walk and Louisburg error put two Triceratops runners on with no outs in the top of the fourth, but Tri-C was unable to score either runner.
• The Hurricanes took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double and single, putting Louisburg up 3-1.
• Adkins kicked off the sixth with a leadoff double, then brought the Triceratops within one run by scoring on a Louisburg error, bringing the game to 3-2 midway through the sixth.
• Just like in the third, the Hurricanes got the run back in the bottom of the sixth via a passed ball. That run put Louisburg up by the ultimately final 4-2 mark.
• The Triceratops started putting together a last-ditch two-out rally in the top of the seventh after a single by Smith and a Durbin walk, but an unfortunately placed line drive to third base by Adkins spelled the end of the contest.

UP NEXT

Despite the loss, the Triceratops are still alive in the national title hunt. They'll square off in the consolation bracket against the loser of the Kirkwood C.C.-Grand Rapids C.C. game tomorrow, May 20, at the Tyger River Park Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4 :00 p.m.

All games in the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series will be broadcast live on the NJCAA Network. NJCAA Network is a pay-per-view broadcaster, daily passes available at $12, tournament passes at $35 and championship game passes at $5.

Tickets are available on-site at Tyger River Park, with daily passes being $15/person, tournament passes being $50/person and children under 12 entering free. Parking is available on-site at no charge.

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