April 21, 2008

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C.—The St. Andrews Presbyterian College softball team entered the 2008 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament at the Heritage Park as the No. 10 seed but made an amazing run at the title defeating the No. 2, 5, and 7 seeds before finally being eliminated by the top seed in extra innings on Championship Sunday.

Senior pitcher Samantha Stewart (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) and senior second baseman Erin Haugen (Fort Mill, S.C.) were named to the 2008 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team after leading the Lady Knights (16-36) on their dramatic run.

Haugen collected a team-high 10 hits through the five games while scoring an impressive eight time. Freshman Jasmine Dobbin (Pikeville, N.C.), a first-team All-Conference selection, also provided 10 hits including three doubles. Senior Mika Tanji (Honolulu, Hawaii) and junior Tiffany Capone (Jacksonville, N.C.) drove in most of the Knights runs with six and five RBI, respectively.

Stewart tossed three complete-game victories and had 21 strikeouts during the three-day tournament.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18: #10 seed St. Andrews 1, #7 seed Lees-McRae 0 (BOX)

Stewart posted her first complete-game shutout of the season as St. Andrews defeated No. 7 seed Lees-McRae College 1-0 on Friday morning. Stewart scattered just three hits while striking out a pair of Bobcats (21-22).

St. Andrews ripped eight hits including two by both Haugen and sophomore Nicole Easter (Lumberton, N.C.).

The Lady Knights provided Stewart with the only run she needed in the fifth inning. Haugen led off with a single and later scored on another single by Tanji.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18: #10 seed St. Andrews 8, #2 seed Erskine (BOX)

St. Andrews jumped all over the No. 2 seed and host, Erskine College, with six runs in the first inning and then held on for an 8-6 major upset victory on Friday afternoon.

Dobbin drilled a game-high three hits including two doubles while Capone had three RBI on two hits. Tanji added another RBI while the Shurtleff sisters, Ashley & Brianna, from Colton, Calif., each drove in one SAPC run.

The Flying Fleet (26-18-1) attempted a comeback scoring four of their six runs on a pair of two-run homers. However, Stewart tossed her second complete game on the day to preserve the St. Andrews victory. Stewart allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits while adding five more strikeouts.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19: #3 seed Mount Olive 10, #10 seed St. Andrews 2 (BOX)

No. 3 seed Mount Olive College scored five runs in both the third and fifth innings to hand St. Andrews its first loss of the tournament, 10-2, on Saturday afternoon. A three-run blast by the Trojans (28-19) in the fifth inning ended the game with the eight-run rule.

The Knights picked up their only two hits in the game on back-to-back singles by Haugen and Dobbin. St. Andrews held a two-run lead in the middle of the third after Dobbin’s single scored Haugen. However, Mount Olive rallied back scoring its 10 runs on 12 hits sending SAPC to the loser’s bracket.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19: #10 seed St. Andrews 8, #5 Anderson 4 (BOX)

St. Andrews quickly forgot about the Mount Olive loss by scoring five runs in the first innings and holding on for a 8-4 victory over No. 5 seed Anderson University in an elimination game on Saturday night.

Dobbin led the Knights 10-hit attack with two singles and a double while Haugen and sophomore Daisy Mendez (Miami, Fla.) followed with two hits apiece. Tanji and Stewart each drove in a pair of runs

After loading the bases in the first inning St. Andrews scored three consecutive runs on a Mendez’ walk, an Ashley Shurtleff single, and a Stewart sacrifice fly

Stewart notched her 12th win of the season with another complete-game performance. Stewart also posted six K’s.

The Trojans (23-23) make a late rally with two runs in the sixth and seventh innings but ran short of outs.

SUNDAY, APRIL 20: #1 seed Coker 6, #10 seed St. Andrews 5 (BOX)

St. Andrews scored two runs in the seventh inning to force extra innings and keep their hopes alive but No. 1 seed Coker College finally ended the Lady Knights unbelievable showing in the tournament with a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

SAPC held a 3-2 lead after two innings but the Cobras (35-11) rallied back and took a two-run advantage, 5-3, with three runs in the fourth. The Knights continued to fight and a two-run single by Tanji deadlocked the contest at 5-5. However, after St. Andrews was held scoreless in its first two extra innings Coker eliminated the Knights with a solo homer.

Haugen and Tanji each had 3-for-5 batting performances with Haugen scoring twice and Tanji driving in a pair of runs. Stewart added six more strikeouts to finish with 21 K’s over her 33 1/3 innings of work in three days.