Saturday, May 15, 2004

For the second time on Saturday Mid-Continent Conference Pitcher of the Year Cheyenne Davies proved to be too much for Valparaiso as Centenary defeated the Crusaders 4-0 to win the Mid-Continent Conference Softball Tournament held in Macomb, Ill.

Davies, who limited Valpo to just one baserunner on a single in the first meeting of the day, allowed just two singles in the championship while striking out eight and walking none.

The Ladies found the scoreboard in the opening inning, scoring an unearned run on Megan Hall's RBI single to left. Centenary tacked on another in the third as Janis Kelley doubled home Jordan Lansdale to give the Ladies a 2-0 lead. A passed ball score the third run in the fifth and the final insurance tally came in the seventh as Sherilyn Bossier singled home Dana Davis.

Valpo managed just the two hits, a single in the second by Beth Adamski (St. John, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) and a two out single by Tricia Speziale (Elmhurst, Ill./York H.S.) in the fourth. Adamski also had Valpo's lone hit in the morning game against Davies.

Amanda Gilbertson (Murrieta, Calif./West Albany H.S., Ore.) started for the Crusaders and went the first two innings, while returning to throw the final two outs in the seventh. The senior allowed just one earned run and four hits. Ashlee Blankenbaker (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso H.S.) went the middle innings striking out eight.

Valpo (21-34) finished the season with as many victories as they had the last two seasons combined. The 21 wins are the most for the program since the 1989 campaign.

Centenary moves on to the NCAA Regional Championships with a 36-26 record.