Catamounts surrender 7th inning lead to No 1 seeded Bears
Ralph Wilson – Potomac State College
Oxford, Ala., – Potomac State grabbed a 5-4 lead, their first of the game, in the sixth inning and carried the one-run advantage into the bottom of the seventh inning before Des Moines Area CC broke Catamount hearts with a pair of game-winning one-out runs.
PSC learned on Friday they had been seeded No 16 in the sixteen team NJCAA Division II Softball Championship Tournament. The disappointing low seed meant a showdown with Division II softball powerhouse Des Moines Area.
The Bears entered the tournament with a 50-3 record, having spent most of the season ranked No 1 in the NJCAA polls.
Des Moines Area got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead after one inning and adding a run in the bottom of the second inning for a 2-0 advantage.
Potomac State got rolling in the third inning. Grace Walsh and Bris Stocks each singled in front of an Alexis Bailey double to tie the score at 2-2.
The Bears broke the tie in the bottom half of the third to retake the lead at 3-2.
Mia Kincaid led off the fourth inning with a single and stole second. Camryn Blacka singled to drive in Kincaid and knot the score again, 3-3.
A fifth inning solo home run would again give the Bears a one-run lead, 4-3.
In the sixth inning Josie Deneen led off with a single and pinch runner Emma Turner moved to third on consecutive ground outs. Simone Balks drew a walk and stole second ahead of a Balcka single. The two RBI pushed PSC in front for the first time, 5-4.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh and aided by a pair of walks and an error, Des Moines Area scored the game-winning runs to secure the 6-5 win.
Blacka finished 2-3 with 3 RBI to lead Potomac State. Stocks also had two hits and Bailey 2RBI.
Taylor Townsend absorbed the loss pitching 6.1 innings, giving up 9 hits and 6 runs.
In the double-elimination format, the Catamounts play tomorrow at 10 am vs the Triton/Kansas City Kansas loser.