D 3 softball

[deiscanton]

Game 2 of the Best of 3 National Championship Series between the Va. Wesleyan Marlins and the TLU Bulldogs coming up at 11 AM Eastern.

For Game 2, TLU is the "designated home team" for the game, and will take the field first.

Virginia Wesleyan leads the series, 1-0.

Lineups are in--

Starting pitchers--

For Texas Lutheran:  Ashlyn Strother

For Virginia Wesleyan:  Emily Seale.

[WLCALUM83]

TLU's turn to go with their strike-out pitcher-- we'll see if the Marin offense can be held at bay.

[deiscanton]

TLU's turn to go with their strike-out pitcher-- we'll see if the Marin offense can be held at bay.

Lincoln Rose stated at the top of the webcast today that most DIII softball teams have an ace pitcher and a #2 starter.  In the case of Virginia Wesleyan and Texas Lutheran, the top 2 pitchers in their rotations are more like the "1A" pitcher and the "1B" pitcher.  My comment: Is Strother the "1B" pitcher for TLU?  Obviously, Seale is Va. Wesleyan's "1B" pitcher.

Lincoln Rose now recapping the DII Softball Best of 3 series from yesterday-- In DII, Biola and West Texas A&M split their first two games in the best of 3 and are playing for the DII title in Denver, Colorado today with first pitch at noon Eastern.

[WLCALUM83]

Per Bulldog stats, Strother's struck out more opposing hitters than Sydney Ouellette.

[deiscanton]

After 1 inning--

Texas Lutheran 2, Virginia Wesleyan 0

In the bottom of the first, the Bulldogs score 2 runs on no hits.  There was 1 Va. Wesleyan error, and no runners LOB.

(Probably debatable on that error-- with the speed of Kelly Jurden, she probably would have been safe regardless.)

[WLCALUM83]

Now the Bulldogs hope that Strother continues to pitch like she did against DePauw.

[deiscanton]

After 6 innings--

Texas Lutheran 3, Virginia Wesleyan 0

Bulldogs score 1 run in the bottom of the 6th on 2 hits.  No Marlin errors, 1 LOB.

[deiscanton]

Top of 7th 2 out

Texas Lutheran 3, Virginia Wesleyan 2  2 RBI triple-- tying run on third base.

Update-- Flyout to center forces Game 3.

Marlins score 2 runs in top of 7th on 3 hits.  No Bulldog errors.  1 LOB.

Final score:

TLU 3, Virginia Wesleyan 2  Series tied at 1-1.

Game 3-- First pitch scheduled for 1:30 PM Eastern.

[WLCALUM83]

TLU's manager has a decision to make, does he continue with Strother (who just threw some 110 pitches), or does he go with Sydney Ouellette, whose pitches were lit up in Game 1?

(He has Raines-7-0 record, and Oliviera if he feels he's in a real tight spot--) Raines starts as a position player most of the time of late--

[deiscanton]

TLU's manager has a decision to make, does he continue with Strother (who just threw some 110 pitches), or does he go with Sydney Ouellette, whose pitches were lit up in Game 1?

For the TLU manager, this is a question that he would have preferred to face over the alternate scenario.  According to Lincoln Rose, the TLU manager said at the beginning of today that the Bulldogs would have a great chance to sweep Virginia Wesleyan today if they took Game 2.

[WLCALUM83]

Gotta like the managers' positive attitude.

[WLCALUM83]

Per pre-game live stats, its' Strother for TLU vs. Hull for VA Wes.

Both strike-out pitchers slated to begin this decider.

[deiscanton]

Game 3 underway at 1:19 PM Eastern-- Winner takes the DIII Softball National Championship.

Virginia Wesleyan is the designated home team for this game.

Hanna Hull pitches a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first.

After 1/2 inning, the Marlins will be coming up to bat

[deiscanton]

Jessica Goldyn leads off the Marlins with a home run in the bottom of the first.

With nobody out, it is Virginia Wesleyan 1, Texas Lutheran 0

Madison Glaubke then singles before the first out is recorded.

[deiscanton]

Bottom of first 1 out

Virginia Wesleyan 2, Texas Lutheran 0

After Julia Sinnett flew out, Danielle Stewart's single placed Glaubke on second.  The second run scored on 2 fielding errors by the Texas Lutheran defense on the same play-- an attempted 6-4 that the shortstop overthrew, scoring Glaubke in the process.  Runners on first and second.

A double play ends the first inning.

In the bottom of the first, the Marlins score 2 runs on 3 hits.  There were 2 TLU errors and 1 runner LOB.