Va. Intermont Ends Strong to Stop UVA-Wise Repeat Title Hopes in Championship Game

May 4, 2007

Bluff City, TN – For the second time in less than two days, Virginia Intermont finished strongly and was able to defeat UVa-Wise, 8-2, with seven runs in its final two trips to the plate to win the Appalachian Athletic Conference softball championship.

UVa-Wise (29-23) does not see its season end as the team had already qualified for the NAIA Region XII championships after winning the AAC regular season title. It will be the program’s seventh-straight trip to the regional action.

The Lady Cavs defeated the Tennessee Wesleyan Lady Bulldogs, 3-1, in the loser’s bracket final to start the day and advance to the title tilt.

vs. Tennessee Wesleyan - Loser's Final
Boxscore

Shelley Newton was the leader against the Lady Bulldogs (26-21). The junior catcher finished the contest a triple short of the cycle. She belted her 10 th home run of the year, a two-run shot, to go with a double, a single and two rbi. Amber Quillen, Tori Flint and Christine Cantone added singles.

After one out, Sarah Frazier reached on a Tennessee Wesleyan error in the top of the first. Newton followed by belted a 3-1 pitch over the right centerfield fence for a two-run home run.

The two runs would be all pitcher Lauren Snead would need. Snead scattered three hits, allowed one earned run in the fourth, walked four and struck out seven for the victory. Quillen singled home Newton, who doubled, in the sixth for the final tally of the contest for the 3-1 final.

vs. Va. Intermont – Championship
Boxscore

The second meeting of the two teams started the same way for UVa-Wise but also ended the same way as well. Britney Lawson led off the contest with a solo home run to right field for a 1-0 Lady Cavs lead.

Andrea McQueen tied the contest, 1-1, in the home half of the first with a single up the middle.

The game remained 1-1 until the top of the fourth. After one out, Quillen walked and was pinch ran for by Brittany Tunnell. King singled on a push bunt past the pitcher and was followed by Cantone who singled to short stop to load the bases. Bobbi Mihelarakis pinch hit and reached on a fielder’s choice which scored Tunnell on a throw to the plate to make it 2-1.

The one run would be all the Lady Cavs could muster the rest of the way. Va. Intermont plated two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead. The Lady Cobras exploded for five runs on three hits and took advantage of three more Lady Cavs’ errors to put the game away, 8-2.