Marlins Endure Slug Fest to Claim ODAC Softball Title

SALEM, Va. -- The top-seeded Virginia Wesleyan College softball team rallied from a 9-5 sixth-inning deficit to claim the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title with a 10-9 extra-inning victory over Eastern Mennonite University.

This is the second time the championship game has reached extra innings with the Marlins defeating Shenandoah University 8-6 in 19 innings in the 2013 tournament.

The Marlins led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a Kiersten Richardson single. Eastern Mennonite, not wanting to face powerful slugger Cassetty Howerin, walked her intentionally to advance Richardson into scoring position. Kayla Dost made the Royals pay for the walk with a double down the left-field line to score Richardson and make it 9-6.

Dost also made EMU pay in the fourth inning, connecting on a two-out, two-run homerun following a Howerin intentional walk.

EMU went to the bullpen after Dost's double, bringing Lauren Seale in to face Taylor Galvin. The Marlin catcher lined a ball to left, but it was enough to plate Howerin for a 9-7 margin. Essence Jackson singled to move Dost to third where, following another out, she scored on Teresa Cardamone's pinch-hit single.

EMU led 9-8 with just one inning left to play to force a second and deciding game, but could not shut down the Marlin offense.

Courtney Bogan led off the seventh with a single off Sydney Reath, stealing second in the next at bat. Following a Richardson hit by pitch, Howerin connected on a single that plated Bogan for the tying run.

The Marlins advanced the winning run to third base, a fine defensive double play ended the threat as Galvin lined out to center field where Tiffani Shaheen threw into third for the twin killing.

Virginia Wesleyan pitcher Mary Shipp faced just one batter over the minimum in the eighth and ninth innings to set up the Marlin victory.

With one out and no one on base, the Royals intentionally walked Howerin for the third time on the afternoon. Following a flyout in the next at bat, Galvin doubled into the left-center field gap to score Howerin from first.

Howerin came around to score each of the three times she was intentionally walked, scoring four times on the afternoon. She went 3-for-3 at the plate to increase her batting average to .508 while upping her on-base percentage to .587. She was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

Mariah Foltz had three hits and three RBI for EMU (31-14) while Shaheen had three hits and Carli Hill added two hits and two runs scored.

Dost paced the Marlins with three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored while Essence Jackson added three hits and two RBI. Shipp (19-4) earned the victory after surrendering one earned run in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

Bogan went 2-for-5 with a run and a stolen base. The steal was her 68th of the season, breaking a single season NCAA record.

Virginia Wesleyan (38-5) earn the ODAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The selection show will air Monday, May 9th at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com.

All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player - Cassetty Howerin, Virginia Wesleyan
P - Mary Shipp, Virginia Wesleyan
C - Taylor Galvin, Virginia Wesleyan
1B - Mackenzie Chitwood, Lynchburg
2B - Sydney Reath, Eastern Mennonite
3B - Kayla Dost, Virginia Wesleyan
SS - Nicole Riley, Lynchburg
OF - Courtney Bogan, Virginia Wesleyan
OF - Beth Ford, Virginia Wesleyan
OF - Tiffani Shaheen, Eastern Mennonite
UT - Mariah Foltz, Eastern Mennonite
UT - Essence Jackson, Virginia Wesleyan