DePaul University
No. 8/4 Missouri
DePaul Falls to Missouri 7-3 in Regional Final I
5/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
May 22, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. - DePaul was braced for a strong Missouri retaliation in Sunday's NCAA Regional final after the Blue Demons upset the No. 8/4 Tigers 24 hours earlier.
Rhea Taylor hit a three-run home run to highlight a four-run second inning in Missouri's 7-3 victory over DePaul at University Field.
That mandated a winner-take-all second game for the Missouri Regional title.
Missouri ace and winning pitcher Chelsea Thomas came out of the game after five innings and 60 pitches to rest for game two. Kristin Nottelmann came on in relief for the Tigers.
Verdun greeted her with a double that one-bounced to the left-field wall in the sixth. Dodd then singled to left. Ciezki ripped an RBI double to left and DePaul (41-14) narrowed the gap to 5-2.
That brought back Thomas in a hurry.
A fielder's choice bunt by Megan Coronado scored Dodd to make it 5-3. But with runners on second and third, Brittney Yniguez popped out to second and pinch-hitter Ali Warren grounded back to Thomas.
Missouri (49-8) tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.
Alex Morocco came out fast, leading off the game with a double. Sean Plese's fielder's choice put runner on first and third with no outs. Verdun's grounder to shortstop resulted in a force-out at second with Morocco coming across home plate for a 1-0 DePaul lead.
The Tigers loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the first, but starter Lindsey Dean retired Catherine Lee on a fly ball to Morocco.
Taylor picked up her fourth RBI in the fourth inning on a groundout to Allie Braden.
The Blue Demons had Allie Braden on third base with two out in the fifth after a delayed steal, but Plese popped out to second.
NOTES: Missouri governor Jay Nixon attended Sunday's game to give the host Tigers a boost in their NCAA Regional Final showdown... Nixon threw out the ceremonial first pitch right down the middle of the plate... the last time DePaul advanced to the Super Regionals was 2007... coincidentally, the Blue Demons beat Missouri twice at the Carbondale, Ill. Regional to earn the trip to Oklahoma... Lenti & Co. upset the favored Sooners and headed to the Women's College World Series... after not committing an error over 18 innings of play on Saturday, the Blue Demons made two errors in the first game on Sunday... Thomas will start game two after throwing 80 pitches in game one.
