Hornets headed to first softball World Series

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Published: May 12, 2008

Lynchburg College’s softball team defeated Ursinus (Pa.) 2-0 on Monday afternoon in the championship game of the NCAA Division III Regional, hosted by Methodist University in Fayetteville N.C., to earn the Hornets their first trip to the NCAA World Series in the program’s history.

“It’s pretty amazing,” LC coach Dawn Simmons said. “All the girls just worked so hard. We definetly grew as a team during the season and after losing last year in (the region championship game) were we itching to get back to it.”

The Hornets earned the second seed in the championship tournament, which begins Friday at the James I. Moyer Complex in Salem. LC’s first game will be the last game of the day at 6:30 p.m. The Hornets will play Muskingum College. The Muskies (40-10), out of New Concord, Ohio, were the 2001 national champs.

LC (39-6) pushed a run across in the bottom of the third when Audra Della Rosa singled off pitcher Lauren Davis’ leg, stole second and scored on Elizabeth Perkins base hit up the middle to break the scoreless tie.

The score stayed 1-0 until LC’s Tara Campbell drilled a line-drive home run to deep centerfield in the bottom of the sixth to put the Hornets up 2-0.

Freshman right-hander Katie Bruce was dominant on the hill. She allowed just four singles, no walks and struck out two to earn her 20th victory of the season. Dara Sandifer (Holy Cross) was 2-for-2. The Bears (36-11) had won five straight games after losing their opening round matchup on Thursday.

Five Hornets were named to the All-Region team: Sandifer, Perkins, Bruce, Brittany Allsop and Lauren Duguay.

“I just want them to enjoy every minute of it,” Simmons said.

“We just need to stick to the game plan and keep doing what we have been doing all year.”