LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Barry University softball team's (39-13) season finally came to a sad end with a 3-1 loss to the Valdosta State Blazers (41-23) in the fourth game of the 2006 NCAA South Region tournament hosted at Barnett Field by Florida Southern College on Saturday night.

 

The Blazers managed to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Trele Edwards singled and later scored on Hollis Willis' RBI double to left center. Amay Gaiss then picked up an RBI ground out to account for Valdosta State's first two runs.

 

Valdosta State extended their lead in the third inning when Peaches Ramsey drew a lead off walk. Caroline Cripe then picked up an RBI double to plate Ramsey for the 3-0 lead. Barry finally broke the shutout with a single run in the sixth. Ashley Loose (Jr., Mill Creek, Wash.) singled with one out and stole second. Maile Keeney (Jr., Longwood, Fla.) then plated Loose with an RBI single, but that is all the Bucs could muster and fell 3-1 to the Blazers bringing the season to a close.

 

The Buccaneers out hit the Blazers 5-3. Katie Arnone (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the Buccaneers with a pair of singles, while Edwards, Willis, and Cripe accounted for all three Blazer hits.

 

Ramie Garcia (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz.) suffered the loss for Barry going just one inning and giving up two runs on two hits to fall to 18-6. Amber Jack (Fr., Homestead, Fla.) hurled six innings of relief for Barry, gave up one hit, one run and struck out six for Barry. Elske ten Hoope (6-4) earned the win for Valdosta State giving up just one run on five hits and struck out four.

 

The Bucs' season comes to an end, but not without achieving great heights. First-year head coach Danielle Penner guided Barry to a #10 ranking in the NFCA top-25 Division II poll, a 39-13 record in her first stint as a head coach, and the Bucs 12th appearance in the NCAA Division II national tournament.

 

Barry loses five seniors, but return a wealth of experience for 2007 including the 2006 Freshman Player of the Year Shyla Rider (Fr., Woodbridge, Va.), Keeney (First-team All-SSC) and Ashley Loose (All-SSC Honorable Mention).

 

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Valdosta State...... 201 000 0 -  3  3  0      (41-23)

Barry............... 000 001 0 -  1  5  1      (39-13)

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Pitchers: Valdosta State - ten Hoope. Barry - Garcia; Jack (2).

Win-ten Hoope (6-4)  Loss-Garcia (18-6)  T-1:35  A-98

Game: SB0513B