Saturday, May 12, 2007

DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson Hatters beat the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs in the Atlantic Sun Championship game by a score of 6-4 to earn the Atlantic Sun's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

#2 Gardner-Webb vs. #1 Stetson
The No. 1 seed Stetson Hatters shut down the No. 2 seed Gardner-Webb Bulldogs 3-0 to force a final and deciding game at the 2007 Atlantic Sun Softball Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

Erica Demers went full seven innings for the Hatters allowing one hit and striking out three. Nicole Forbes, who entered the game with ten hits in the tournament hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give the Hatters a 3-0 lead. Sherrell Fountain scored the Hatters first run of the game in the first inning, coming home on a sacrifice fly by Andrea Migliori. Gardner-Webb's Taryn Beck went six innings in the losing effort.

Stetson and GWU will play again at 2:00 p.m. The winner of that game will be crowned A-Sun champions and receive the Atlantic Sun's Automatic Bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Championship - #1 Stetson vs. #2 Gardner-Webb
The No. 1 seed Stetson Hatters defeated the No. 2 seed Gardner-Webb Bulldogs for the second time today to win the A-Sun Championship and earn the Atlantic Sun's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Hatters won the final game by a score of 6-4. Erica Demers started for the Hatters and earned the win, her fourth of the tournament. Demers pitched 24.1 innings in the tournament and only allowed four runs and striking out 19 batters. Stetson first baseman Andrea Migliori added two RBI to set the Hatters all-time single-season record. Nicole Forbes was awarded Tournament MVP after recording 12 hits in six games, including a home run.

The Stetson Hatters earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Tournament selection show will be on ESPNNews tomorrow, May 13, between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time.

All-Tournament Team
MVP - Nicole Forbes, Stetson
Stephanie Gaynord, ETSU
Lauren Caviness, Campbell
Courtney Quinn, Campbell
Melody Harrell, GWU
Taryn Beck, GWU
Lindsey Whitfield, GWU
Jessi Williams, GWU
Erica Demers, Stetson
Andrea Migliori, Stetson
Lindsay Wightman, Stetson