Creighton University
Georgia
Softball Season Ends With 3-0 Loss To Georgia
5/20/2007 3:00:00 AM | Softball
With the win, Georgia (45-27) advances to tomorrow's 1:00 p.m., regional final against 11th-ranked and sixth-seeded Washington (37-16). Georgia will need to beat UW twice to advance to next weekend's Super Regionals. Creighton finishes its season 40-14-1 after making its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons.
Georgia put up three runs in the top of the fourth against Bluejay starter Amanda Hess, all with two outs. After retiring the first two batters, Hess hit Chelsea Cantillo and then surrendered a single to Christie Hamilton. Pinch-hitter Kacey Coonce then smashed a single to right that plated Cantillo. Victoria Sanders followed with a single to left that scored Hamilton. UGA's final tally came on Kristin Schnake's double down the right-field line that plated Charvi Greer - running for Coonce. Sanders would be thrown out on the play after taking a wide turn around third.
Creighton was held to just two hits, both by senior Caitlin Marcano, and had just one runner advance to second base on the night. That came with one out in the fifth after Marcano singled and pinch-runner Kate Petullo moved to second on a ground ball that was the second out.
Hess (13-5) suffered the loss after giving up five hits, three runs and striking out one in four innings of work. Tara Oltman entered in the fifth and retired nine of the 10 Bulldogs she faced. Marcano went 2-for-2 in her final game as a Bluejay, providing CU's only offense on the night.
Carroll (28-9) struck out nine without a walk and gave up just the two hits to Marcano. Georgia had just five hits on the night, but four were collected consecutively with two outs in the fateful fourth frame.
NOTES: Creighton closes the 2007 season with a 40-14-1 record, its seventh 40-win season all-time and third in the past four years ... Creighton fell to 18-3 on Saturday's and 8-2 at neutral sites ... Creighton was shut out for just the fourth time this season ?Creighton has scored a total of two runs in its past six season-ending losses ... Tara Oltman's three scoreless innings dropped her ERA to 1.23 on the season ... The Bulldog offense, which came in 133-for-148 on stolen base opportunities, did not attempt a steal ... The game was the final in the career for seniors Jessica German, Caitlin Marcano, Kate Petullo and Jamie Reiss ... Reiss started 212 of the 214 games she appeared in during her career, including starts in the final 165 games she played.
