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Box Score 2 FARGO, N.D.--Laurel Pipkin 's one-out single to left center scored Elisa Victa from second in the seventh inning to lift North Dakota State to a 3-2 win over Western Illinois in the Summit League Softball Tournament championship game and in the NCAA tournament played Saturday, May 15, before a crowd of 287 at the Ellig Sports Complex.
It's the second straight Summit League tournament championship and NCAA regional berth for the Bison, who improved to 33-23 overall. The 2010 NCAA tournament bracket will be announced at 9 p.m. (Central) on ESPNU following a NCAA lacrosse match. Members of the NDSU team will assemble at the northside Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the announcement.
Western Illinois (35-19) had tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh when Erin Schlotfeldt drilled 1-1 pitch for a solo home run over the left field fence. It was Schlotfeldt's third home run of the season. The Leathernecks came back through the loser's bracket after falling 4-0 to NDSU in Saturday's first game. WIU defeated IPFW 1-0 on Kamren Ferguson's second shutout of the tournament.
Victa walked to start the bottom of the seventh and moved to second on a Melisssa Chmielewski sacrifice bunt. Pipkin came up and laced 1-0 pitch to left to score Victa.
Pipkin went 3 for 4 in the championship game and finished 6 for 10 in the tournament. She also turned in one of several alert defensive plays, diving to make the tag on a Western Illinois baserunner trying to advance to second.
North Dakota State freshman Whitney Johnson, who earned tournament MVP honors, picked up her third win in three tourney starts to improve to 26-16 overall. Johnson allowed six hits, struck out two and issued no walks. Ferguson (22-12) picked up the loss. She allowed nine hits, walked two and struck out two.
The Bison jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Nicole Rivera reached on an infield single, scampered to third on a Victa base hit and scored on Chmielewski's ground out to the shortstop deep in the hole.
However, Western Illinois' Lori Pankratz belted a home run to center to lead off the third inning to tie the game at 1-1. Ashley Campbell and Pankratz both went 2 for 3 to lead the Leathernecks.
North Dakota State bounced back with a run in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Chmielewski lined a one-out double to right center field and scored on a Brea Konz single up the middle. Pipkin, Victa, Chmielewski and Konz all joined Johnson on the all-tournament team.
No. 3 North Dakota State 4, No. 1 Western Illinois 0
North Dakota State freshman Whitney Johnson pitched seven strong innings, giving up just three hits in her ninth shutout of the season in the Bison 4-0 victory over top-seeded Western Illinois.
In the bottom of the second inning, NDSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Cristina Borek homered off a Kamren Ferguson pitch to left center field. It was Borek's second home run of the season.
The Fighting Leathernecks picked up their first hit off of Johnson in fourth inning when Jamie Goss singled down the right field line. Sandy Moore entered the game as a pinch runner and was picked off trying to steal second. The inning ended with Ashley Campbell striking out and Lauren Furgala lining out to third.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Nicole Rivera tripled to right center, followed by Elisa Victa singling down the infield line, scoring Rivera. Summit League Player of the Year Melissa Chmielewski then hit a single down the left field side, advancing Victa to second. After a Laurel Pipkin single, the runners advanced. Brea Konz then reached base on a fielder's choice, but Victa was thrown out a home. The inning would continue with Chmielewski and Pipkin scoring, giving NDSU the 4-0 lead.
Western Illinois would not answer back, giving Ferguson the loss for the Leathernecks.
No. 1 Western Illinois 1, No. 2 IPFW 0
Senior Kamren Ferguson went the distance for the Leathernecks throwing a two-hitter as Western Illinois advanced in The Summit League Tournament and IPFW ended its season at 29-19.
In the top of the third, the Mastodons would load the bases after Kaylee Faurote walked and Sarah Swanson was hit by a pitch. Catcher Kristina Karpun hit a single through the right side. The inning ended after Rachel Staschuk hit a pop up and Cristina Wolfe fouling to short.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, after three singles, Julie DePolo scored on a Ashley Campbell pop fly. The one run was all the Leathernecks would need to seal the victory. Courtney Cronin picked up the loss finishing her season at 18-11. Ferguson earned her 22nd win in the circle this season.
Summit League Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Laurel Pipkin, North Dakota State, 2B
MVP--Whitney Johnson, North Dakota State, P
Melissa Chmielewski, North Dakota State, 1B
Elisa Victa, North Dakota State, LF
Brea Konz, North Dakota State, 3B
Lori Pankratz, Western Illinois, 2B
Julie DePolo, Western Illinois, 3B
Kamren Ferguson, Western Illinois, P
Lauren Furgala, Western Illinois, SS
Courtney Cronin, IPFW, P
Kris Karpun, IPFW, C
Rachel Staschuk, IPFW, 1B/P
Kori Seidlitz, South Dakota State, P
Dani Broshar, South Dakota State, C
