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Thursday, May 15, 2003
Golden Panthers knocked out
in first day of NCAA Regional
 he
Florida International softball team had a rude awakening on Thursday
as the Golden Panthers saw their Women's College World Series
snuffed out in one day with a 4-2 loss to Mississippi State and
a 3-1 loss to Creighton that knocked FIU out of NCAA Regionals
in Lincoln, Neb. Thursday's decisions ended FIU's history-making
season that saw the Golden Panthers (37-27) receive their first-ever
bid into the postseason and post their best finish in the Sun
Belt Conference.
"First you have to get here," said FIU head coach
Kim Gwydir. "Then you have to learn how to play at this
level. Finally, you have to learn how to win at this level."
FIU showed that it belonged in the NCAA Tournament in two-run
losses to Mississippi State and the Bluejays, but the 2003 squad
also displayed glimpses of inexperience as the Golden Panthers
stranded a total of 15 of their teammates on Thursday - 10 of
whom were in scoring position.
FIU's pitching staff of Amanda Nealer, Kendra Laminack and
Nicole Barrett - all of whom return next season - were solid,
allowing five earned runs and striking out 10 batters in 12 innings.
But it was FIU's inability to get key hits that hung the sixth-year
program out to dry.
"Mississippi State's pitchers were averaging three earned
runs a game," noted Gwydir. "We were only able to score
two runs. When you have good teams like this, you have to score
when you can because you might not have the opportunity again."
Overall, however, Gwydir is confident that her Golden Panthers
took something away from their NCAA Tournament experience and
will build on that in 2004.
"The experience we are going to get from this is invaluable
and will definitely help us in the future."
MISSISSIPPI STATE 4, FIU 2
FIU got on the board in the first when Stephanie Wolter opened
the game with a first-pitch single to right center. Nicole Dubovik
moved Wolter over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Following a
Jennifer Owens ground out to third, Cindy Turek singled up the
middle to bring Wolter home. FIU loaded the bases, but Lindsay
Tippings struck out looking to end the inning.
Mississippi State took the lead in the home half of the first
when Kate Jaspers laid down a bunt in front of home plate to
get on with one out. FIU starter amanda Nealer then hit MSU's
Iyhia McMichael with a curve ball to put runners on first and
second. On a 0-1 count, Jennifer Waterman painted the right field
line with a hit that was declared a ground-rule double after
getting stuck under the fence and scored Jaspers and McMichael.
At the top of the second, MSU starter Jennifer Nelson was
replaced by Melissa Massey.
FIU battled back to tie the game in the top of the fifth.
With one out, Wolter doubled down the right field line. After
Dubovik flew out to center, Owens doubled to left field to score
Wolter from second.
Mississippi State (34-28) took the lead for good in the bottom
of the fifth when Krystal Tillman opened the inning with a single.
Following a Jennifer Nelson pop up to shortstop, Jaspers moved
Tillman to second on a sacrifice bunt. FIU starter Amanda Nealer
walked McMichael and Waterman before Blaire Brown singled up
the middle to bring home the game-winning runs.
Wolter batted 2-for-4 and scored both runs for FIU. Kristen
Perry went 2-for-3 while Amber Gill also picked up a hit.
Massey (22-12) picked up the win for MSU after giving up four
hits and one earned run in six innings of relief.
Nealer suffered the loss, falling to 21-9 on the season after
striking out two batters and allowing four earned runs in five
innings. Reliever Nicole Barrett entered the game in the bottom
of the six, giving up one hit in one inning pitched.
Also of note, Owens game-tying double in the fifth drew her
even with Shannon Carey for the school record for career doubles
at with 28.
"We definitely had some positives come out of this game,"
added Gwydir. "We weren't afraid of anything and came out
to play."
Creighton 3, FIU 1
FIU banged out five hits, but stranded nine runners as Bluejay
starter Tammy Nielsen (20-6) became Creighton's first 20-game
winner since 1991. Nielsen allowed five hits and one earned run
in her 21st complete game of the year.
FIU starter Kendra Laminack dropped to 11-12 despite striking
out eight runners and allowing only one earned run in three and
two-thirds innings pitched. Nicole Barrett held the Bluejays
to one hit in two and one-third innings of relief.
Creighton (26-23) took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the
third when Jenny Hunt singled through the right side to bring
Melanie Dorsey home from third.
The Bluejays extended their lead to 3-0 with a pair of insurance
runs in the fourth. With one out, Kari Shank singled to second
base and was replaced by pinch runner Melissa Weihe. Weihe advanced
to second on a wild pitch and came home on a double by Cara Van
Winkle. Van Winkle, who advanced to third on a fielding error
by FIU center fielder Nicole Dubovik on the double, came home
on another wild pitch.
FIU rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Meagan Dontrich
walked with one out, and Stephanie Wolter followed that with
a single to center field. Dubovik walked to load the bases and
a Jennifer Owens ground out scored Dontrich from third base.
Cindy Turek would foul out to left field to end the game.
Also of note, Nicole Dubovik stole her 35th base of the season
in the game, tying her for the Sun Belt Conference single-season
stolen base record. That stolen base also helped the 2003 Golden
Panthers tie the 2000 squad with 109 swipes this year.
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