Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

VERMILLION, S.D. – After playing three hours and 10 innings in a heartbreaking loss just minutes ago, the HBU softball team regrouped and defeated North Dakota, 7-6, in the deciding game to win the 2011 Great West Conference championship.

In the early game, the Huskies – the home team on the scoreboard – jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning, as Daniella Rodarte hit a one-out double, then switched places with Mollye Mlcak, who hit an RBI double to left field, scoring Rodarte. Kate Maddock struck out on a wild pitch and Mlcak advanced to third on the throw to first to get Maddock. Mlcak stole home to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third, the first two batters for North Dakota reached base safely by Husky errors and the Fighting Sioux made the errors costly, as Brittany Baker hit a three-run home run to left-center.

The Huskies tied the game at 3-3 with a single run in the bottom of the sixth as Mlcak led off the inning on a Sioux fielding error, reached second on a grounder by Mlcak and crossed home on an RBI single by Callie Herrington.

North Dakota had a chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh, as Maggie O'Neal started the inning with a single to right field. After a successful sacrifice bunt advanced O'Neal in scoring position with just one out, Jammie Weidert got consecutive fly outs to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, HBU had a chance to win, as Weidert began the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mac Christensen. Holly Webb was intentionally walked so HBU had runners on first and second with one out, but Emma Gronseth got a fly out and a strikeout to end the threat.

Entering the top of the 10^th, Caralyn Chewning hit a one-out single up the middle. The next batter, Cami Bennett was attempting to move Chewning 60 feet, but her bunt was so good, that she reached base safely, so the Sioux had runners on first and second with one out. Baker grounded out to short, which moved Chewning and Bennet one base each. Kenna Olsen hit a three-run home run to left field to give the Sioux a 6-3 lead. Following a single, that prompted a pitching change and Kendall Stiefel relieved Weidert and, following a walk, she got a fielder's choice for the final out of the inning.

HBU went 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning to end the game and force a second do-or-die game between the two teams.

Mlcak and Herrington each went 2-for-5 for HBU with an RBI apiece.

Weidert took the tough loss, going 9.2 innings and allowing 10 hits, four earned runs and did not walk a batter while tying her career high with 13 strikeouts. Kendall Stiefel pitched 0.1 inning and walked one.

North Dakota's first three batters in Chewning, Bennett and Baker went 6-for-14 as each had two hits. Baker and Olsen had three RBI apiece.

Michelle Frank got the no-decision, as she allowed 8 hits, two earned runs and one walk while striking out nine in 7.1 innings. Gronseth earned the win, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing one hit and one walk while whiffing four.

In game two, HBU drew first blood, as Kaitlin Southerland hit a monstrous home run to dead-center field in the top of the second to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.

The Huskies added two runs in the top of the third to lead 3-0. Following a Rademacher walk, Rodarte reached base on a fielder's choice as the Fighting Sioux got Rademacher out at second. Mlcak struck out but reached base safely on a wild pitch and she and Rodarte hustled to second and third base, respectively to put themselves in scoring position. Following a pitching change, Maddock cleared the bases with a double.

North Dakota cut the lead to 3-2 with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Two straight singles followed by a sacrifice bunt put Sioux on second and third with one out. Baker and Olsen had back-to-back RBI singles to drive home the runs.

The Huskies responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth as Sara Corcoran started the inning reaching base on a throwing error, then advanced to third as Christensen struck out but reached base safely via a passed ball. Holly Webb hit an RBI single to right field to bring home Corcoran and Rademacher followed with an RBI single to left to bring home Christensen.

North Dakota scored a pair in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one-run ball game again, at 5-4. Bennett hit a one-out single. Following a strikeout, Olsen hit a two-out RBI double to bring home Bennett. D Jantzer singled up the middle to advance Olsen to third. Courtney Gonzales singled to left field to bring home Olsen.

In the top of the sixth, HBU got a much-needed insurance run as Rodarte singled up the middle, then reached second safely as Mlcak hit the ball to the second baseman who tried to get Rodarte but threw the ball away. Two batters later, Herrington hit an RBI single to center to score Rodarte.

In the top of the seventh, Christensen led off the inning with a single to right-center. Webb had a successful sac bunt to advance Christensen to third, then Mac scored on an RBI single by Rademacher. With two outs, Mlcak reached on an error by the third baseman and the ball went into the outfield. Rademacher tried to score but was thrown out to end the inning, as HBU led 7-4.

Leading off the bottom of the seventh, Bennett drew a walk and she scored on a home run by Olsen, making it a 7-6 ball game. The next batter, Jantzer, singled up the middle, prompting an HBU pitching change, as Stiefel relieved starter Beth Evans. Stiefel got a pop out and a strikeout to end the game and the celebration began.

Rademacher and Herrington each had two-hit games for HBU, and Rademacher led the Huskies with two RBI. Rodarte and Christensen each had two runs.

Evans earned the victory, pitching 6.1 innings and allowing 10 hits, six earned runs and two walks while striking out nine. Stiefel relieved her in the middle of the seventh and struck out one in 0.2 innings, earning her first-career save.

Olsen went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored for the Fighting Sioux. Bennett went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Gronseth started the game and took the loss, allowing one hit, three earned runs and three walks while striking out two in 2.1 innings. Frank allowed five hits, two runs (none earned) and struck out two in 1.2 innings. Chewning finished the game allowing four hits, two earned runs and two walks while striking out one in 3.0 innings.

Quotes:

Head coach Mary-Ellen Hall: “The first game was so exhausting and devastating, but give our players so much credit for coming back; they wanted it. Beth [Evans] pitched an incredible game. It was a tough loss for Jammie [Weidert] cause she threw her heart out all weekend.”

Senior first baseman Sara Corcoran: “This is an amazing feeling. We knew we were going to get this, no matter how long it took. We knew we had the heart to win. I told KK [Kaitlin Southerland] after the game 'We ended our high school careers as winners and we ended our college careers as winners.'”

Senior third baseman/catcher Kaitlin Southerland: “We've all worked so hard this year. We came together and we got it done. We told each other 'no team in our conference has beat us twice.'”

Senior pitcher Jammie Weidert: It's surreal. In the beginning, we knew we could do it, but to actually do it, it's amazing. It's awesome to come home as champions.”

Weidert was named Most Outstanding Pitcher, after going 2-1 in the tournament with a 1.90 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. She walked three batters in the entire tournament and opponents hit just .186 against her.

HBU (36-23) finished the year with the most wins since the 48 victories in 2007, the final year in the NAIA. The Huskies closed out the season going 11-3 in their final 14 games.