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#4-ranked Cal State San Marcos opened bracket play at the 2011 NAIA Softball National Championship Monday morning, defeating Shorter (GA) 2-0.
The win improves CSUSM to 4-0 at the National Championships and 44-9 on the season. #15-ranked Shorter drops to 46-14 on the year. All games are being played at Gulf Shores Sports Complex in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
After tearing through pool play with a 3-0 record, the Cougars are now in the midst of the bracket play round, which is an 8-team double elimination tournament to decide the National Champion.
CSUSM's recipe for success thus far has been to utilize the team's speed to pressure opposing defenses into mistakes while leaning heavily on the brilliant pitching of All-American Brenna Sandberg, and it continued to pay off for Coach Dave Williams' squad in the morning game against Shorter.
The pitching battle between Sandberg (40-8) and Libby Munson (27-6) lived up to the hype, with both hurlers going the distance and neither surrendering an earned run in the contest. Sandberg continued her run of dominance, pushing her scoreless innings streak at Nationals to an almost unfathomable 26. She allowed just two hits – doubling the total number of hits she allowed through the first three games – and struck out six batters while walking just one.
Meanwhile, Munson allowed six hits to the Cougar lineup, but kept CSUSM firmly in check through the contest – save for a third inning defensive meltdown. Speedy freshman Kaitlin McGinley led off the inning by legging out an infield single, bringing up All-Conference leadoff hitter Derrisha Lacey. Lacey, who set the team's stolen base record this season, hit a ground ball that shortstop Jessica Womble misplayed, allowing not only McGinley to score, but Lacey to circle the bases and beat the throw home as well.
That put the Cougars up 2-0, and that would be all the Cougars needed. Only one runner would reach scoring position in the remainder of the contest (Shorter's Brooke Bryan, who doubled with one out in the fifth), and CSUSM would hold on for the huge victory. Alyssa Dronenburg and Heavin-Lee Rodriguez had two hits each in the win.
The win sets up an epic rematch between Cal State San Marcos and #1 ranked California Baptist, scheduled for Monday at 12:30 CDT. The teams have met once previously this season, splitting a double-header in Riverside.
