DECATUR,
Ala. (05.17.09) - The Bethel Lady Wildcats ended their second-ever NAIA
National Tournament appearance with a 5-4 victory over the Lady Tigers of Georgetown
College (Ky.). Bethel got the win in dramatic
fashion scoring a walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh. The Lady Wildcat's two seniors Blaire Johnson
and Whitney Taylor were instrumental in their final game for Bethel.
Johnson took the mound and was effective for five innings
giving up two runs, one earned, five hits, three walks and struck out two. Leah Hensley had trouble locating pitches and
gave up two runs on one hit, four walks and two strike outs. Amber Metzger threw a perfect seventh in
picking up her tenth win of the year.
The Lady ‘Cats jumped on the Lady Tigers' starter Michelle Dresselhaus
early, scoring two in the first inning. Brittni
Burlison led off with a double down the left field line. Taylor hit a sacrifice
bunt moving Burlison to third. Lindsey
Davis tripled to right, scoring Burlison. Brittany Edmonds struck out, but L. Davis
scored on a wild pitch and Bethel was up 2-0 at the end of one.
Georgetown chipped away cutting the lead to one with a run
in the top of the fourth. But, Bethel
responded with one in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Edmonds reached on a walk;
Ashley Simmons was hit by pitch; after a strike out, Kasey Winsett was hit by a
pitch to load the bases. Johnson reached
on Dresselhaus' error and Edmonds scored for a 3-1 lead.
Georgetown would score three in the sixth to take a 4-3
lead. But again, the Lady Wildcats would
answer, tying the game in the bottom half of the inning. Edmonds led off with a single to right. Simmons
hit a sacrifice bunt moving Edmonds to second; Winsett delivered a RBI single
to right scoring Edmonds to knot the score at 4-4.
In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Taylor walked; L.
Davis reached on an error that allowed Taylor to get all the way to third;
Then, Edmonds delivered the game winner, a single to left as Taylor scored the
winning run.
Not only did Johnson give quality inning on the mound, she
was 1 for 3 with a RBI in her final game.
Taylor was 0 for 2 with a sacrifice, but walked and scored the winning
run. Edmonds was 2 for 3 with a RBI, two
runs scored and a walk. Winsett was 1
for 2 with a RBI. L. Davis was 1 for 4
with a RBI and a run scored.
The Lady Wildcats finish
the season with a 34-14 mark.
