Published: May 10, 2008 12:07 am            

St. Mary-of-the-Woods softball wins first two at national tourney

Decatur, Ill. — Early-morning rain wreaked havoc on Friday’s schedule in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association national softball tournament involving St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Delayed about two hours, The Woods finally played its opener in pool play, holding off Spalding University 1-0 as Ashley Loomis pitched a two-hit shutout. Loomis also singled home Chelsee Gerber with the only run in the third inning.

Later in the day, coach Gary Rodgers’ Pomeroys defeated Penn State-Beaver 4-2. Aubrey Stich and Jessica Ketner of Terre Haute had two hits apiece in the winning effort.

The Woods’ third and final game in pool play — against Southern Virginia — did not get played Friday. It has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. EDT today at Borg Warner Softball Complex in Decatur.

Rodgers’ squad has already clinched a spot in today’s double-elimination championship tournament involving the top four teams from pool play, although the original schedule must be completely redone.

The Woods is now 30-14-1 for the season.

As of Friday night, The Woods’ coaching staff did not know if the championship game would still be played at 8 p.m. EDT today.



St. Mary-of-the-Woods 001 000 0 — 1 8 0

Spalding 000 000 0 — 0 2 2

Loomis (W, 18-6) and Sankey; Goff and Webster.

Highlights — For The Woods, Chelsee Gerber scored the only run on a two-out single by winning pitcher Ashley Loomis in the 3rd inning. Also, Aubrey Stich went 2 for 4 with a double.



Penn State-Beaver 002 000 0 — 2 4 3

St. Mary-of-the-Woods 002 110 x — 4 7 0

Neely and Mihalyi; Stich, Loomis (5) and Baker, Sankey (5). W — Stich, 9-5. Sv — Loomis (3).

Highlights — For The Woods, Jessica Ketner went 2 for 3, Stich went 2 for 4 with an RBI double, Gerber also doubled, Loomis contributed an RBI single and Casey Simmons and Ashley Sankey each knocked in a run with a suicide-squeeze bunt.



• Woods notes — Seven players from the St. Mary-of-the-Woods College team were honored when the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) announced its 2008 All-Americans and Academic All-Americans in conjunction with its national championship tournament being conducted this weekend.

Ashley Loomis, a senior pitcher from Rosedale; Ashley Sankey, a junior catcher from Terre Haute; and Kea Silcock, a junior outfielder from West Terre Haute, were named USCAA All-Americans. Jessica Ketner, a senior third baseman from Terre Haute, received All-American honorable mention.

In addition, Loomis and Silcock were named to the 2008 National All-Academic Team along with SMWC players Lindsey McNulty, a junior utility player from Indianapolis.; Amanda McGlone, a sophomore outfielder from Robinson, Ill.; and Casey Simmons, a junior infielder from Linton.

        

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