DePaul University
Indiana
Dean, Defense Deliver NCAA Regional Victory
5/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
May 21, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Allie Braden and Megan Coronado will never forget their first NCAA Championship game.
Braden played some spectacular defense and fellow freshman Coronado scored the winning run in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Indiana at the Missouri regional.
DePaul (40-13) advances to a 3 p.m. showdown with No. 8/4 Missour (47-7).
It was a 1-1 game in the top of the seventh when pinch-hitter Marla Mathews walked. Coronado ran for Mathews and was sacrificed to second was by Brittney Yniguez.
After pinch-hitter Allie Warren popped out, Alex Morocco was intentionally walked.
That's when DePaul coach Eugene Lenti took a bold gamble.
"Stealing third base isn't the easiest," Coronado said. "I knew I had to get a good jump. I started going, and the Indiana third baseman wasn't covering right away.
"I don't think she expected it."
The two-out double steal turned into the winning run when Coronado came home on Morgan Melloh's wild pitch.
"I didn't want to make a dumb play and be out at home," Coronado said. "When I saw the ball tip off the catcher's glove, I was gone.
"It feels really good to score the winning run in my first regional game."
Braden took over in the bottom of the seventh.
Jenna Abraham led off with a double down the right-field line. Sean Plese fired a bullet to Braden, whose perfect strike to third baseman Lynsey Ciezki nailed Abraham.
"Sean gave me a perfect throw, and it put me in great position to relay it to Lynsey," Braden said. "I love throwing runners out at third."
Next batter Cassie Gogreve ripped a shot headed to right field that Braden snared with a dive.
"I've been waiting all year to dive for a ball and actually catch it," Braden said.
Winning pitcher Lindsey Dean (11-6) was once again the beneficiary of a superb defense that is No. 5 in the country in fielding percentage. Dean limited Indiana (37-17) to four hits.
"We got great pitching and played spectacular defense," Lenti said. "We scored two runs on one hit, but they made three errors.
"Defense won the game for us, and Allie Braden made some great plays out there. That relay in the seventh and Allie's diving catch---it doesn't get any better than that."
The Hoosiers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Melloh led off with a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. She scored on a bunt single by Kelsey Stander.
Ciezki's only play was at the plate and she tossed to catcher Sarah Shizas, but Melloh eluded the tag.
The Blue Demons tied it 1-1 in the third when Brittney Yniguez led off with a walk, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on a throwing error. With runners on second and third and one out, Kirsten Verdun popped out and Samantha Dodd struck out.
DePaul closed out the Hoosier third inning with a Yniguez-to-Braden-to-Verdun double play. Verdun turned a line drive into an unassisted double play in the sixth.
Dodd broke up Melloh's no-hit bid in the top of the sixth with a solid single to left field. The Blue Demons had Dodd on third and Ciezki (walk, stolen base) on second with two out when Dean struck out.
NOTES: Assistant coach Liz Jagielski stood at the front of the bus two days ago and let loose with a heart-felt, passionate speech hoping to light a fire under DePaul's softball team... Jagielski had implored her players to bring a cantankerous edge onto the University Field diamond and to stop relying on teammates to pick up the slack..."you be the one to lead, to get the big hit or make the big play," Jagielski had said. "I've seen each and every one of you when you're angry---bring that attitude with you against Indiana"... the Blue Demons prevailed despite 11 strikeouts by Melloh, who has 488 on the season... Dean went seven innings, allowing one run and four hits with four strikeouts and two walks... DePaul is 40-31 in NCAA Championship game and 12-6 in opening-round games... the Blue Demons are 1-1 against Indiana in NCAA tournament play and 8-4 overall... DePaul is 3-1 against Missouri in the NCAA tournament and have not played Illinois State in the tournament.
