Baldwin-Wallace Softball Team Defeats Bethany (W. Va.), 6-3, in First Game of NCAA Regional Tourney

Posted: May 12, 2011

NOTE: Baldwin Wallace University vacated the results of this event due to an NCAA Infraction.

ADRIAN, MICHIGAN -- The Baldwin-Wallace College softball team defeated Bethany (W. Va.) College today (Thursday, May 12) in the team's opening game of the eight-team NCAA Central Region Tournament hosted by Adrian College at the Adrian Softball Field. The Yellow Jackets were led by senior second team All-Ohio Athletic Conference player Tanya Davis (Hinckley/Medina Highland) as she was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in scored two runs and had an assist from centerfield.

B-W, the champions of the OAC Tournament, received an at-large bid and was seeded third while Bethany, the champions of the Presidents Athletic Conference, was seeded sixth. The other game in the bottom half of the bracket features the seven-seed Hiram College, the champions of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, versus the second-seed Alma (Mich.) College, who received an at-large bid out of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Yellow Jackets will face the winner of that game at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.

With the win, the Yellow Jackets improve to 28-9 and Bethany is now 29-15. The win ties the Baldwin-Wallace school record for wins in a season with 28 and improves their all-time NCAA tournament record to 2-2 overall. B-W won their seventh game in a row and first NCAA tourney game since 1992.

B-W opened the scoring in the first inning when senior first baseman Katrina Resek (Strongsville) led off the inning with a double to right field and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Freshman leftfielder Ashley Elber (Huron/Edison) was then hit by a pitch. Davis then singled up the middle to score Resek and advance Elberto second base. Elber then scored on an error by the shortstop; Davis stole second on that as well. Freshman third baseman Kaity Mullen (Avon Lake) then singled to the shortstop allowing Davis to advance to third on the play. Junior right fielder Sarah Baker (Mentor/Lake Catholic) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Davis and giving the Yellow Jackets an early 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning, Resek singled to right field with one out in the inning. Following a stolen base by Resek, Davis singled up the middle to score Resek and extend the BW lead to 4-0. Following a stolen base by Davis, freshman and OAC Rookie of the Year Tabitha Murray (Mogadore/Field) singled to centerfield scoring Davis. After two wild pitches advanced Murray to third base, Mullen then singled to center field scoring Murray, extending the Yellow Jacket lead to 5-0.

In the sixth inning, B-W answered a three run top of the sixth inning from Bethany by putting up another run in the bottom half of the inning. Resek walked with one out, then advanced to second on a groundout by Elber. Following a fly out by Davis, Murray smacked a single up the middle for her second RBI of the game and extended the BW lead to 6-3.

At the plate, Davis once again led the Yellow Jacket attack as she went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Murray was 3-for-4 with two RBI, Resek also contributed two hits as she was 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored. In addition, Mullen had two hits and Elber had one.

On the mound, freshman Justina Wise (New London) picked up her team leading 16th win of the season and her 14th complete game of the season. Wise threw seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and only one walk.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics