DENTON, Texas – Florida Atlantic pulled away from a tight contest Thursday evening to defeat South Alabama, 7-1, on the second day of play in the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship.
The Owls connected on 11 hits, including three solo home runs, to top the Jaguars at Lovelace Stadium and advance to the next round of the tournament. Blair Bodenmiller led the way, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored for FAU.
"We played a lot more aggresively today," FAU coach Joan Joyce said. "We hit a few home runs, we hit three which really helped our average. I thought we were really aggressive running the bases, and that's the way I like to see us play. I thought our team did a great job tonight."
Pitcher Rose Gressley threw six innings of one-run ball, scattering six hits to earn the win. She faced pressure in several situations with South Alabama runners in scoring position, but Gressley worked her way out of nearly every jam. Carrie Ann Potter pitched a scoreless final inning to preserve the win.
Beth Pilgrim took the loss for the Jaguars despite fanning five batters and walking just one. The junior gave up eight hits and five runs—three earned.
Bodenmiller put FAU on the scoreboard early with a homer over the center field wall in the opening frame as the Owls jumped to a quick 1-0 lead. The next four innings were touch-and-go, as each team held the other scoreless.
But FAU extended its advantage in the fifth inning, taking an advantage of a South Alabama error to send two runners across the plate. Back-to-back homers from Becky Brandies and Kerri Croney in the sixth gave the Owls some insurance.
The Jaguars got on the board when Christin Crocker singled to left field to drive in Kelsey Volz, but stranded three runners on base to end the inning, and FAU added two more runs in the seventh to keep the game out of reach.
The Jaguars will face Western Kentucky in an elimination game Friday at 12:30 p.m., while the Owls will await the winner of the contest for a 5:30 p.m. matchup at Lovelace Stadium.
