Denison and Hiram Win on Day One of Championship

May 2, 2008

MEADVILLE, Pa. - After a day filled with rain-delays and cancellations, #3 seeded Denison and #4 Hiram picked up wins during the opening games of the NCAC Softball Championship. Denison defeated #2 Ohio Wesleyan by a score of 5-0 while Hiram defeated host and top-seeded Allegheny by a score of 8-6. Visit the Allegheny TOURNAMENT SITE for more details and the adjusted scheduled for tomorrow's action.

Hiram busted out with five runs in the first inning as Chastine Romanello and Heidi Gipson each homered for the Terriers. The Gators put two on with two out before the skies opened and caused a two-hour rain delay.

When action finally picked up, Katie Wills (McKees Rock, Pa./Montour), pictured below, hammered a two-run double down the left field line, bringing Allegheny to within three, at 5-2. After escaping a jam in the top of third, Allegheny pulled closer as Abby Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) connected for a solo homerun to left center.

Allegheny evened the score in the fourth when Marci Potuzko (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) singled home Sarah Reilly (Dunkirk, N.Y./Dunkirk), giving the Gators five runs scored with two out.

However; the Terriers took advantage of a Gator error to score twice in the sixth with Heidi Gipson driving home one of the runs with a single. Hiram added another in the seventh after a Stephanie Zunic single while Allegheny only managed a single run in the seventh as Maggie Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) delivered a sac-fly.

Amanda Downey (Essex Junction, Vt./Essex) took the complete-game loss for Allegheny while Jamie Brown tossed four innings with one earned run in the win for Hiram.

The Gators will look to stay alive tomorrow against #2 Ohio Wesleyan at 11:00 a.m. Hiram advances to play #3 Denison in the winner’s bracket at 9:00 a.m.

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