May 11, 2006

Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - A two-out RBI single off the bat of Amanda Smith in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Northern Kentucky Norse to a 2-1 win over the Lewis Flyers in the first round of NCAA Regional play Thursday afternoon.

Smith (23-10) also collected the win in the circle, pitching a six-hit complete game. She struck three while walking just one.

Courtney Lyons went six innings for Lewis, allowing seven hits and one earned run before giving way to Julie Wingerter (14-7) in the seventh inning.

A single by Ricki Rothbauer followed by a sacrifice bunt gave Northern Kentucky a runner on second with one out in the seventh inning. Wingerter struck out Sarah King for the second out but then gave up the single to Smith. Rothbauer rounded third on the hit and headed home just ahead of the throw from right field.

The Norse scored their first run in the fifth when Heather Cotner singled with the bases loaded. With only one out at the time, the damage could have been much worse, but Lyons recovered to get the next two batters, leaving the base loaded and the game tied at 1-1.

Lewis' lone tally came in the third inning. With Kristy Vanek on first and Mallory Paine at third, Vanek broke towards second on a delayed steal but stopped halfway between first and second. That drew a throw to first from the Norse catcher, allowing Paine to bolt for the plate and score.

The Flyers threatened one last time in the sixth inning, putting runners on second and third with one out and Lisa Gartland at bat. Gartland hit a grounder to third and Jessica Beck was gunned down at the plate.

Beck was the second Flyer runner thrown out at the plate in the game, as Robin Martz was called out at home in the third inning on a squeeze play.

The Flyers (39-14) will face Southern Illinois Edwardsville in an elimination game on Friday at 11 am.