A.I.I. Semifinal
#2 Central Baptist College-2
#3 University of Houston-Victoria-1
The semi-final took place Saturday morning, with a game between the Jaguars of Houston-Victoria and the Mustangs of Central Baptist. The winner would move onto the championship game, the loser would go home. Pitchers Dawn Villegas of Houston-Victoria and Jessica Sheldon of Central Baptist were cruising, allowing a collective 3 runs all game. Sheldon was the first to surrender a run, when in the third inning UHV's Courtney Pettit cracked a hard ground ball that struck third base and caromed into left field, scoring Bre'Neka O'Bryant from second.
For the Jaguars, Villegas surrendered only three hits on the day, but Central Baptist made the most of its limited chances. In the sixth inning, CBC lead-off hitter Kiara Bonner drilled a home run to straight away center to tie the game at 1-1. Villegas would then walk two consecutive batters as CBC threatened to take the lead, but was able to get a couple of pop-up outs to retire the side without any further damage. The Jaguars then went to work in the top of the 7th with Porsha Ramos singling with one out and Kori Kocian hitting what looked to be a bloop single into shallow right field. But CBC's right fielder Erica Gunter made a fantastic sliding grab, and threw quickly to first to double-up the base-runner, ending the inning.
The Mustangs then came to bat in the bottom of the 7th looking for a game winning run and got just that when catcher Ashley Fair stepped to the plate and smashed a walk-off home run over the fence in left field, sending the Central Baptist players and fans into a frenzy. Fair's game winning homer gave CBC the 2-1 victory, and a place in the championship game against defending national champion Simon-Fraser University.
A.I.I. Championship Game
#2 Central Baptist College- 4
#4 Simon Fraser University- 3
While Friday night's marathon UHV/CSUSM game was certainly the most memorable game of the tournament, the first A.I.I. Championship Game on Saturday proved to be the most entertaining. Simon Fraser struck first in the 4th inning when Brittany Mayers hit her second home run of the tournament, a two-run shot to put her team up 2-0. SFU pitcher Kelsie Hawkins pitched sensationally in her first tournament start, not allowing a run until the 6th inning. That 6th inning however, became a game changing inning for CBC. Third baseman Kayla Lucas hit a lead-off single, causing Simon Fraser to bring in ace Cara Lukaweski, who had thrown complete game's in the team's previous three tournament contests (all wins). Lukaweski promptly got A.I.I. Player of the Year Christen Kirchner to fly out, but Carly McLennan followed with doubled to right center to score Lucas and tie the game. Shortstop Hailey King then drove a two-run home run to give CBC the lead, and forcing Lukaweski out and Hawkins back in.
Down 3-2 in the top of the 7th, Simon Fraser sent pinch hitter Megan Durrant to the plate with one out. CBC pitcher Emily Guess, who to that point had only surrendered her runs to a homer by Mayers, was bit again by the home run bug as Durant took her deep over the left field wall, tying the game.
With the game tied 3-3 into the bottom of the 7th and Central Baptist fighting to force another game, CBC's Brandi McChristian singled to right field to get the rally started. After SFU retired a batter, third baseman Kayla Lucas ripped a double to the wall in right center, scoring McChristian and ending the game 4-3, forcing another game to decide the tournament title.
A.I.I. Championship Game (2)
#2 Central Baptist College- 3
#4 Simon Fraser University- 5
With everything on the line, Central Baptist sent ace Jessica Bock against Simon Fraser's ace Kara Lukawesky. CBU got the scoring started in the second, with Hailey King reaching on an error, advancing to second on a sacrifice, going to third on a failed pickoff attempt, and scoring on an Ashley Fair base hit with two outs.
CBC would stretch the lead to 2-0 in the fourth, as Carly McClellan led off with a double and Erica Gunter drove her home with a clean single. At that point, Lukaweski looked like she may have lost some confidence from the rough relief appearance in the prior contest, and Bock looked basically unhittable.
The game would change in the bottom of the fourth, however. The middle of Simon Fraser's lineup accounted for the vast majority of the team's offense all tournament, and the 3-4-5 combo of Kelsey Haberl, Leah Riske, and Brittany Mayers started what would turn out to be the tournament-winning inning. With one out, Haberl doubled to center, and Riske ripped a single through the left side to score pinch runner Jodie Hartman. After Mayers grounded out, SFU found itself down 2-1 with a runner on and needing a big boost from the latter half of their lineup. They would get just that, with Jessica Durrant lining an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2, advancing to second on the throw. Second baseman Lauren Mew then drove a base hit to center, scoring Durrant to put SFU on top. Rosie Murphy then singled, and a costly error in the infield loaded the bases and extended the inning for Carly Lepoutre, who lined a single right back up the middle that plated two runs and capped off a stunning 5-run rally for SFU.
Central Baptist wouldn't go down without a fight, however. Kayla Lucas hit an absolute bomb in the fifth inning, cutting the gap to 5-3. Lukawesky, however, would keep her composure throughout. The Simon Fraser ace picked up all four of her team's wins during the tournament, and did a brilliant job of navigating some of the best lineups in the NAIA and never blinking. The seventh inning was her final test, as CBC loaded the bases with two outs. Lukawesky once again got the job done, inducing a pop-out to secure the championship for Simon Fraser
For her efforts, Cara Lukawesky was named 2011 A.I.I. Tournament MVP. Simon Fraser earns the A.I.I.'s automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships, where they will have the opportunity to defend their title. Tournament host #2 CSUSM and #9-ranked Houston-Victoria will await at-large bids to join them.
