United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Softball - Bears Rally for Win; Advance to Winners Bracket Final

BEVERLY, MASS.--(5/8/09)--The Coast Guard bats came alive as the third-seeded Bears overcame an early 3-0 deficit to beat nemesis and NEWMAC foe, seventh-seeded Springfield 7-4 to advance to the winners' bracket final of 2009 NCAA Division III New England Regional at Endicott College.

The Bears (38-5-1), who won their first round game with just one hit, a three-run homer by Becky Miller on Thursday, had 10 hits in the win this afternoon.

Coast Guard will now take on top-seeded Tufts in the winners' bracket final tomorrow at 2:00. The winner advances to the New England Regional championship game on Sunday at 2:00. The Jumbos of Tufts, who have a record of 40-1 this season, beat fifth-seeded Emerson 3-1 in nine innings to reamain unbeaten.

Springfield (21-23) scored three times in the first before Coast Guard responded with three runs in the third to tie the game.

Springfield built the early lead right off the bat as the Pride scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Pride loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk and scored their first run on a Bryn Worrilow sacrifice fly. Springfield added another run on an RBI single by Amanda Novak while Laura Riccio showed patience at the plate and worked a bases-loaded walk to drive in the final run of the inning.

The Bears would get on the board in the top of the third as Annette Boston scored on an error and Wolf drove in her first two runs of the day with an RBI single through the left side that tied the game.

Senior Jeannie Crump delivered a sacrifice fly in the fourth as the Bears took the lead for good 4-3.

The Bears added two runs in the fifth as junior Courtney Wolf and senior Colleen Denny hit back-to-back homers to start the inning. Wolf hit her 14th homer of the season, a blast to deep center and Denny followed with a homer to left center to give Coast Guard a 6-3 lead. Freshman Maddie Buchert then singled to chase Springfield starter and losing pitcher Samantha Rhodes (13-11).

The Bears added an insurance run, an unearned run, in the top of the seventh.

Springfield did not go quietly as after the first two batters were retired, an error and back-to-back hits loaded the bases and RBI single by Amanda Novak made the score 7-4, but Tess Gagliano fouled out to catcher Amanda Frederick to end the game.

Freshman Hayley Feindel (33-4) picked up her 33rd win of the season by going seven innings, giving up four runs (three earned) and striking out 10 Pride batters. Boston, Crump, Wolf, and Denny each had two hits apiece for the Bears while Wolf drove in three and scored a pair of runs.

Rhodes drops to 13-11 this season by going four innings and giving up six runs on 10 hits. Michelle Wlosek led the Pride by going 3-for-4 with a run scored while Novak finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.

This was the fifth meeting between Coast Guard and Springfield this season. The Bears won the two regular season meetings while the Pride of Springfield beat the Bears twice enroute to winning the NEWMAC Tournament.