Panthers capture second straight GSAC title and NCAA bid with dramatic win
April 28, 2008

DEMOREST, Ga. – LaGrange captured its second straight GSAC Championship Softball Tournament with a dramatic 7-6 win over Piedmont on Monday at Walker Field. The Panthers, now 23-18, also will receive the GSAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national tournament for the second year in a row.

The Panthers trailed the top-seeded tournament host Lady Lions 5-0 heading into the bottom of the 6th inning. By the end of the inning, the Panthers had scored seven runs to go up 7-5.

Katie Hein and Holly Hazelwood started the inning with back-to-back singles. Both runners moved up as Valeree Williams flied out to right. Jennifer Knight walked to load the bases and Emily Foster entered the game as a pinch-runner. Kristi Underwood followed with a bases-clearing triple to make it 5-3.

Haleigh Kellar kept the inning going with a two-out single through the left side to drive in Allison Gordon, who was running for Underwood. Kayla Yeargin singled and Leah Flowers drove in pinch-runner Whitley James with a base hit to tie the game at 5-5. Hein, batting for the second time in the inning, reached on a throwing error that allowed Yeargin and Flowers to score to put the Panthers ahead for the first time, 7-5.

Amanda Daniel started for the Panthers and pitched into the fifth inning before being relieved by Danielle LaDuron. After LaDuron pitched a scoreless sixth inning, Daniel re-entered the game in the top of the seventh.

The Lions put runners on first and second with one out in the seventh inning. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Leah Della Torre flied out to Hazelwood in center to score Laura Puckett. First baseman Jennifer Knight cut off Hazelwood's throw to the infield and threw back to Erica Robinson at second to double up Megan Thompson to end the game.

The Panthers finished with 10 hits. Hein, Hazelwood and Yeargin all had two hits. Underwood's triple was the lone extra base hit.   

Daniel was named the tournament's MVP. She played in three games, got two wins and the save in the final game. LaDuron pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in two tournament appearances.

LaGrange went through the tournament undefeated for the second straight year. Last year, they defeated top-seeded Maryville for the conference title. The Panthers will find out their regional destination on May 5.