Black and Maness Lead Tigers Into Semifinals
May 1, 2010
Columbus, Ga- The #15 Brenau softball team won twice today at the SSAC Championships to advance to the semi-finals tomorrow to play #10 Shorter for the second time in the tournament for the right to face off against #2 Lee in the championship game. In the first game, the Tigers defeated #17 AUM 3-2 on a walk off home run in the bottom of the 7th by Ellen Black (Toccoa). Brenau came back in the nightcap and defeated Brewton Parker 2-0 as Black again provided the winning margin, driving in both runs in the bottom of the third inning.
The Tigers picked up eight hits against AUM as Brooke Bryant went 2-4 and Lana Lazar, Morgan Smith, Taylor Kelley, and Caitlin Kelly each had a hit. Anna Maness drove in two runs in the bottom of the 4th with a two run shot over the left field fence, which set the stage for Black's heroics as she ended the game with another blast over the left field fence on a 2-1 count. Maness picked up the win, scattering nine hits. AUM scored both of their runs in the top of the 5th on the strength of four singles.
Maness came back in the BPC game and pitched a two hit shutout for her 24th win of the season. Sarah Applegarth went 2-3 and scored a run, Brooke Bryant was 1-3 and Black provided all the runs Brenau would need, driving in Morgan Smith and Applegarth. The Tigers loaded the bases again in the fourth inning, but couldn't push a run across.
Brenau is now 34-12-1 on the season and live to play another day, while AUM (38-16-1) and Brewton Parker (26-30) see their seasons come to an end. The Tigers will face rival Shorter tomorrow at 11 am in a rematch of Thursday's classic battle, won by the Hawks 1-0. The winner will then play Lee for the conference tournament title.