The Denison University softball team bowed out of the 2010 NCAA Division III Softball Regional Tournament following a 5-0 loss to Washington University-St. Louis on Friday afternoon in Greencastle, Ind.
Washington utilized the small-ball technique in the top of the first inning as they manufactured one run to take the early lead. The go-ahead run came around to score on a base hit by Corissa Santos through the left side.
The two squads were scoreless through the next three and a half innings before the Bears erupted for four runs in the fifth inning. After a lead-off walk and a single by Santos put runners on the corners, head coach Tiffany Ozbun handed the ball to senior Samantha Rumschlag (Carmel, Ind./Cathedral). Washington University's fifth-inning runs came on a two-run double to left, and a pair of one-run singles by Megan Fieser and Ashley Janssen.
For the second-straight day, senior Alex Murray (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/NDCL) broke up a no-hit bid. Bears' pitcher Claire Voris carried a no-hitter into the fifth before Murray lined a leadoff single through the left side. The hit was the 174th of her career which ties her with fellow senior Brie Berkopec (Mars, Pa./Mars Senior) for second on DU's all-time list.
Senior hurler Leslie Brenner (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) fell to 16-8 on the year after surrendering three runs (two earned) off six hits with three walks in four innings. In three innings out of the bullpen, Rumschlag allowed two runs off four hits with four strikeouts.
Murray and sophomore Kait Fiore (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) represented the two hits for the DU. Additionally, sophomore Lauren Lynn's (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) free pass in the opening frame moved her into sole possession of first place on the school's single-season walks list.
The Big Red closes out the 2010 season with a 30-17 record. The Denison softball team set 11 offensive team records, 11 single-season records and eight career records this season en route to capturing the NCAC regular season and tournament titles.
