Metro roundup: ISU softball relinquishes 4-0 lead in MVC tourney

staff report
The Tribune-Star

Carbondale, Ill. May 08, 2008 11:12 pm

— After a one-hour delayed start because of inclement weather, the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference softball tournament between Indiana State and Wichita State got underway Thursday at Charlotte West Stadium.
Things looked good early for the eighth-seeded Sycamores as they jumped ahead 4-0. But similar to the regular season, errors became the story and they ended up eliminated from the tournament after falling 5-4 on a walk-off two-run single by WSU’s Cynthia Verhulst.
Junior shortstop Meredith Simpson gave ISU a 1-0 lead in the first inning by hitting her team-leading 11th home run of the season.
ISU got things cooking in the top of the third just before the rain halted play briefly. With one out, consecutive singles by Lindsey Starwalt and Simpson put runners on first and second.
Following a 17-minute rain delay, Christina Meyers hit a popup to right field and Lindsie Mitts attempted to make a diving catch on her knees but the ball popped out of her glove which loaded the bases. Freshman Leslie Fakes hit a two-RBI single to give ISU a 3-0 lead.
Sam Markowski led off the fourth inning with a single and was replaced by pinch0runner Amber Paz. With one out, Starwalt singled, then Simpson followed with her third hit of the day, a single scoring Paz to put the Sycamores up 4-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Armour retired her 10th batter in a row before a Sycamore fielding error and a single to left field by Mitts put runners on first and second.
Kiersten Dixon followed with a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. With two outs, Katie McGeeney hit a shot on the ground to third base. Meyers threw the ball too high and wide, causing first basemen Kelsey Anderson to reach for the ball and ultimately collide with the base runner. Two unearned Shocker runs crossed home plate on the error to slice ISU’s lead in half at 4-2.
In the WSU seventh, Dixon singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch by ISU relief hurler Meagan McCurdy. Katie McGeeney, for the third time in the game, reached base on an error — a dropped by ball by Fakes — by the Sycamores. Kara L’Huilier was walked to load the bases. After getting the next batter on a force-out at home, Verhulst connected for her two-RBI single to win the game for the Shockers.
Indiana State ended its season at 19-30-1. Kelsey Anderson, Katie Iocoangeli and Lindsey Starwalt played in their final collegiate games.

In other softball news:
• ISU’s Simpson honored — Indiana State junior Meredith Simpson was named to the Missouri Valley Conference first team this season. Simpson was a second-team selection last season.
Simpson ranked in the league’s top 10 in hitting, runs, hits, homeruns, slugging, on-base percentage and total bases. She was a .366 hitter in MVC play with 14 RBIs, 14 runs scored and six home runs with a .430 on-base percentage and a .676 slugging mark.
• Rose trio honored — Rose-Hulman placed three players on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, according to results released Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Senior Ashley Montgomery earned first-team academic all-district accolades, with sophomore Jordan Goslee named second-team and senior Katie Maggard earning third-team honors.
Montgomery will advance to the national ballot, with the Academic All-America Team scheduled for release May 28.