By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Normal, IL---The No. 8-ranked Express softball team defeated No. 6-ranked Heartland Community College 4-3 this afternoon to reach the winner's bracket semifinals of the NJCAA Div. II National Tournament.
Elizabeth Weber (Oak Harbor/Oak Harbor, Ohio) went the first four innings to pick up her fifth win, while Jordan Ratliff (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) went the final three to pick up her third save of the season.
Owens struggled offensively at first against one of the nation's top pitchers, Hanna Mennenga, as they struck out in their first five plate appearances. After that, the next three batters reached in the second, but they were stranded following another strikeout.
That pattern would continue as Owens left four runners on over the third and fourth inning. Meanwhile, Weber held Heartland scoreless through three – including a three strikeout inning in the third.
In the fourth, however, Heartland loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. Weber worked out of the jam well and only allowed one run. Then, Owens built on that momentum in the top of the fifth.
Ashleigh Whitacre (Central Catholic/Toledo, Ohio) doubled to lead off the inning before Alaina Haubert (Gibsonburg/Gibsonburg, Ohio) bunted for a single over the pitcher's head. Lindsey Bandeen (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) then put the Express ahead 2-1 on a triple to right center scoring Whitacre and Haubert.
Once again, though, the Express failed to score additional runs as Bandeen was thrown out at the plate.
Ratliff then entered and retired Heartland in order in the fifth.
In the sixth, Owens added another run when Bridget Wolfe (Bellevue/Bellevue, Ohio) singled to left field leading off. After Michelle Hollister (Airport/Newport, Mich.) sacrificed her to second and Kristen Roznoski (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio) grounded out, Whitacre came through with a two-out RBI single to put Owens up 3-1.
Heartland answered back with a run in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the lead to 3-2.
In the seventh, Bandeen reached on an infield single leading off, was sacrificed to second, and scored on an RBI single by Wolfe to put Owens up 4-2. That run would turn out to be the game winner.
Back-to-back singles leading off the bottom of the seventh for Heartland put runners on first and second. A fielder's choice groundout put them on first and third before another single to right field cut the lead to one at 4-3. However, with runners on first and second and one out, Ratliff made the pitches she needed to and got Heartland's three and four hitters to fly out to center for the win.
Owens knocked the ball around for 12 hits. However, they struck 11 times and stranded 11 runners. They came through with the clutch hits in the final three innings, though, as they only struck out once during that span.
Bandeen led the Express at the plate as she went 3-for-4 with the game winning run and two RBIs. Other leaders included: Whitacre - 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI and Wolfe – 2-for-3 with a walk, a run, and an RBI.
Mennenga was coming off a spectacular performance against one of the nation's top offensive teams, Delaware Technical College. She allowed only two hits and struck out nine against Delaware. However, against the Express offense, she allowed nine hits in five innings despite striking out 11.
Heartland won the 2008-09 NJCAA Div. II National Championship.
Earlier in the day, Owens defeated Mineral Area College (Mo.) 7-2 to advance. They will now take on LSU-Eunice, the #1 ranked and #1 seeded team tomorrow at 12 p.m. for a right to advance to the winner's bracket final.
Owens is now 41-3 on the season.