Published: May 10, 2008 11:12 pm            

St. Mary-of-the-Woods softball moves into USCAA national championship game

Decatur, Ill. — St. Mary-of-the-Woods put itself in the championship game of the USCAA national softball tournament late Saturday night at Borg-Warner Sports Complex.

After finishing the rain-delayed pool play undefeated with a 13-0 victory over Southern Virginia on Saturday morning, the Pomeroys got a three-run homer from winning pitcher Ashley Loomis in the bottom of the seventh inning to slip past Judson 4-1 in the double-elimination championship bracket.

Then The Woods edged Robert Morris-Springfield 2-1, thanks to a two-run double by Ashley Sankey in the fourth inning and the five-hit pitching of Loomis.

That clinched a spot in the title game for the Pomeroys, who improved their record to 33-14-1.

The Woods’ opponent was being determined between Robert Morris-Springfield and Spalding amidst chilly, rainy conditions at the Tribune-Star news deadline.

“Those were two very hard-fought games,” SMWC coach Gary Rodgers said. “We’re taking it one game at a time. The kids are focused on the task at hand.”

Complete tournament results will appear in Monday’s Tribune-Star.



Championship bracket

Saturday

Judson 000 100 0 — 1 4 0

SMWC 000 100 3 — 4 9 0

Bounds and Chamberlain; Loomis (W, 19-6) and Sankey. HR — SMWC: Loomis (6).

Highlights — For The Woods, winning pitcher Loomis hit a 3-run homer in the seventh inning, Jessica Ketner went 2 for 3 with a double, Kea Silcock and Aubrey Stich each went 2 for 4 and Ashley Sankey singled in a run in the fourth.



RM-S 000 000 1 — 1 5 0

SMWC 000 200 x — 2 4 1

Carby and Walcher; Loomis (W, 20-6) and Sankey.

Highlights — For The Woods, Sankey went 2 for 2 with a double and 2 RBIs.



Completion of pool play

Saturday morning

SMWC (10)03 00 — 13 15 0

Southern Virginia 000 00 — 0 2 4

Stich (W, 10-5) and Baker; Kazimer, name unavailable (5) and Gardner.

Highlights — For The Woods, Kea Silcock went 3 for 5; winning pitcher Aubrey Stich went 2 for 2 with a double, 3 RBIs and 2 runs; Ashley Loomis went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs; Lindsey McNulty went 2 for 3 with a double and 2 runs; Chelsea Baker went 2 for 2 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs and 2 runs; and Casey Simmons added an RBI double.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.