VALDOSTA, Ga. – Despite outstanding defensive play on the part of the Buccaneers, the Barry University softball team (44-18) suffered their first loss of the 2007 NCAA Division II South Region Softball Tournament hosted by Valdosta State on Saturday. The seventh-seeded Bucs fell 1-0 to the fourth-seeded Florida Southern Moccasins.
"Our defense played exceptionally well today and that's what kept us in the game,” head coach Danielle Penner said. “Offensively, we didn't strike out a lot. We put the ball in play, but mostly right at the defense. We've got to find the gaps to score runs. Three hits just aren't enough."
Both teams combined for just eight hits in the ball game, but one hit by Florida Southern's Sarah Kohlbrenner in the sixth inning was all the Mocs needed for the win. Kohlbrenner led the inning off with a solo home run to account for the score.
"Florida Southern is a strong team. We are both strong teams, but it comes down to who puts the ball in play more and today Florida Southern did that," Penner said.
Cristina DeTagle,
Ashley Loose and
Amber Jack accounted for the Bucs' three hits, while Florida Southern's Ashley Alpizar went two-for-four to lead all hitters. Kohlbrenner was one-for-three with the solo homer.
Jack (27-11) suffered the Barry loss. She gave up one run on five hits through seven innings and struck out four. Megan Brown (31-8) tossed the three-hit shutout and struck out two to earn Florida Southern's win.
Florida Southern advances as the only team in the tournament to remain undefeated, while the Buccaneers fall to the loser's bracket and will face the winner of the Florida Gulf Coast/Rollins game on Sunday, May 13 at 1 pm.
NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament Game 11
Florida Southern 1, Barry 0
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Florida Southern.... 000 001 0 - 1 5 0 (48-15)
Barry............... 000 000 0 - 0 3 1 (44-18)
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Pitchers: Florida Southern - Megan Brown. Barry -
Amber Jack.
Win-Megan Brown(31-8) Loss-
Amber Jack(27-11) T-1:30 A-171
HR FSS - Sarah Kohlbrenner (4).
