MEAC Softball Tournament ... Wildcats Eliminated by Morgan State, 18-3

May 12, 2007

Severn, Md. - Morgan State University used powerful hitting and great pitching in order to eliminate Bethune-Cookman University from the 2007 MEAC Softball Tournament on Saturday with an 18-3 decision at Randazzo Softball Park in Severn, Md.

Four runs in the first and second inning allowed MSU (15-23) to run out to an insurmountable lead for the Lady Bears.

MSU pitcher Carolynn Howard's two-run scoring single in the first plated Porsche Boddicker and Chanel Lee to open up the game with a 2-0 advantage for the Lady Bears. In the second frame, Howard collected a two-run homerun with a deep shot to left field that scored shortstop Ashley Vasquez on the play as well.

B-CU (22-36) did get on the board in the third inning when All-MEAC member Holly Bussey hit an RBI single back up the middle to bring in pitcher Jessica Hurtado, while teammate Tameika Jonas scored on the throw to cut the lead to 8-2.

The Wildcats scored again in the fourth as senior catcher Andrea Thomas picked up a run-scoring single to plate junior first baseman Brandi Holley.

However, in the home-half of the fifth inning, MSU exploded for 10 runs to jump-out to the final, 18-3. That put the 10-run rule in effect for the Lady Bears.

In the inning for the Lady Bears, Dominisha Britton collected a bases-clearing triple while first baseman Karlana Ingram chipped in with a two-run double.

Carolynn Howard picked up the win for the Lady Bears to help hem move on in this year's tournament. She upped her record for the year to 10-13, while B-CU's Jessica Hurtado took the loss to finish the campaign at 8-13.

Britton was the leader at the plate for MSU, finishing the game with a perfect 4-for-4 outing with three RBI and two runs. Ashley Vasquez was 3-for-4 with four runs, while Karlana Ingram was also 4-for-4 with four RBI.

B-CU was paced by Bussey with the only multi-hit performance of the day, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Brandi Holley finished 1-for-2 and senior Andrea Thomas went 1-for-2 with an RBI in her last game in her storied career as a Wildcat.

For the just the second time in the new millennium, B-CU will not make it to the MEAC Championship finals with their loss today. Prior to last year, B-CU had collected championships in five straight years before losing in the championship game against Florida A&M in 2005 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.