Queens drops MOC into softball consolation bracket

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 19, 2009 2:00 AM

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HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Chantel Dodge threw her second shutout of the day as fourth-seeded Queens University blanked Mount Olive 5-0 in championship-round play of the 2009 Conference Carolinas softball tournament.

The second-seeded Trojans (25-17-1) had their nine-game win streak snapped and face sixth-seeded St. Andrews in an elimination-round contest today. The winner must defeat Queens twice to claim the title and automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

St. Andrews ousted Pfeiffer 6-5.

Dodge (13-15) permitted two hits and logged 14 strikeouts against MOC. She yielded singles to catcher Jessica Velasquez and senior center fielder Karen Thornton.

Anna Turvin was saddled with the pitching loss.

Mount Olive advanced to the winners' bracket final with a 3-2 triumph over reigning tournament champion Pfeiffer University. Jenny Jackson's fifth-inning, two-run homer vaulted the Trojans past the third-seeded Falcons.

Jackson finished the contest 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Kat Cahoon, Morgan Whaley and Allison Czerski provided one hit apiece.

Sasha Snyder emerged the winning pitcher, tossing three-plus innings of scoreless ball. The soft-throwing right-hander gave up two hits.

Shortstop Kelly Minshew swatted a home run and two doubles as the Trojans escaped seventh-seeded Lees-McRae 7-5 in quarterfinal-round action on Friday evening.

Sarah Saunders carried a perfect game into the sixth inning when the Bobcats rallied for a 5-5 tie. Snyder relieved Saunders, but gave away to Turvin. The senior right-hander retired LMC on a strikeout and two groundouts for her first save of the season.

Velasquez singled to start the Trojan sixth and moved into scoring position one out later on Minshew's second double of the game. Jackson reached on an error, which allowed Velasquez to score for the 6-5 lead.

Whaley plated Minshew with a sacrifice fly.