Saturday, May 14, 2011

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Jacksonville’s Amanda Schmidt belted a pair of home runs on Saturday afternoon as the Dolphins downed Lipscomb, 7-1, to claim the 2011 Atlantic Sun Championship and the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Jacksonville’s (43-14) Kayla Ouellet opened the bottom of the first inning with a single to short. Schmidt followed with her first homer of the contest, giving the Dolphins an early 2-0 advantage. The Dolphins added two more runs in the home half of the third inning, pushing the lead to 4-0. With runners on first and second, Karson Tuck hit a double to the gap in left center allowing Sarah Simon and Olivia Kline to score.

 

---

Read the Atlantic Sun Insider Column: A Championship Team; Five Years in the Making

---

In the sixth, Schmidt again came through for the victorious Dolphins as she connected on a three-run home run with two outs to give Jacksonville a 7-0 lead.

 

Lipscomb (30-20) scored its lone run of the contest in the top of the seventh inning when Courtney Billington homered over the left field wall, setting the final tally at 7-1.

Sarah Sigrest (26-5) earned the win after allowing just one run on three hits with six strike outs in seven innings in the circle. Sigrest was named tournament MVP after a strong effort in the 2011 tournament.

Awards Ceremony and Postgame Interviews

Whitney Kiihnl (20-11) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and four strike outs.

Jacksonville’s crown was the first for the school and the Dolphins will now wait for Selection Sunday to learn the regional they are bound for and their opponents.

All-Tournament Team
Jenni Holtz, Mercer
Kassie Bailey, Mercer
Janna Lewis, USC Upstate
Morgan Childers, USC Upstate
Amanda Miller, Campbell
Lauren Stephan, Campbell
Mackenzie Tucker, Lipscomb
Whitney Kiihnl, Lipscomb
Karson Tuck, Jacksonville
Amanda Schmidt, Jacksonville
MVP: Sarah Sigrest, Jacksonville

Follow the Atlantic Sun on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.