Highlights From The Final Day of the Southland Conference Softball Tournament
Here are the highlights from the final day of the Southland Conference Softball Tournament.
Game 9 (1) Texas A&M Corpus Christi 8 (4) McNeese State 6
Texas A&M Corpus Christi (A&M-CC) Islanders advanced to the championship game by defeating the McNeese State Cowgirls 8-6.
Catcher Brittany Tucker (1-4) hit a three-run homerun in the top of the seventh that capped a 4 run rally for the Islanders.
They struck first in the top of the first on a error by firstbaseman Claire Terracina that allowed secondbaseman Caley Jeter (3-4) to score from second. The Huntsville native led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a ground out by centerfielder Hannah Schwarz (2-4).
Thirdbaseman Kacie Smith’s (1-3) three-run homerun in the top of the third increased the lead to 4-0.
The Cowgirls got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI double by shortstop Molly Guidry (2-4).
They pulled within one in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run homerun by catcher Stacey Conley (2-3). She would give them the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out two-run single.
The rally started for the Islanders in the top of the seventh when pinch-hitter Laura Phillips singled with one out for leftfielder Cassie Redman (0-2). Redman would come back in to run for Phillips and advanced to second on a single by Jeter. With two outs, Schwarz tied the game at 5-5 on a two-run single. That set up Tucker for the three run blast to leftcenter that gave the Islanders the lead.
“I was looking for a good pitch to hit and the count was 2-0,” Tucker said. “The pitcher had to throw a strike in that situation and I was ready for it.”
Jordan Trujillo pitched 2 2/3 innings in relieve and got the win for the Islanders and starting pitcher Megan Bond got the lost for the Cowgirls.
The Islanders (3-1) would faced the Texas State Bobcats (3-0) in the championship match and would need to win two games in order to claim the title while the Bobcats would only need to win one game.
Game 10 Championship Game (3) Texas State-San Marcos 8 (1) A&M-CC 5
The Texas State Bobcats won the 2011 Southland Conference Softball Tournament by defeating A&M-CC Islanders by the score of 8-5. It was their fifth title in their history and their second in the last three years.
The Islanders struck first in the bottom of the first on catcher Brittany Tucker’s (2-3) solo homerun. She blasted a two-run homerun off the scoreboard in the bottom of the third to give them a 3-0 lead. It was her second of the game and third in three consecutive at-bats tying the Southland Conference Tournament record.
The Bobcats exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth that made it 5-3. Centerfielder Allyce Rother (2-3) led off the inning with a single. Leftfielder Lindsay Matt (1-3) followed with a walk. Then starting pitcher Chandler Hall (2-3) followed with a single to load the bases. Then with one out, Rother scored the first run on a throwing error by shortstop Lauren Dodson. Thirdbaseman Jenna Emery (1-3) hit a two-run single and the extra run was scored on a error by centerfielder Hannah Schwarz making it 4-3. Then second baseman Anna Hernandez (1-2) hit an RBI double capping a 5 run inning. They would add three more runs in the top of the sixth to make it 8-3.
The Islanders would score two runs in the bottom of the sixth that made it 8-5.
Chandler Hall went the distance for the Bobcats and got the win while starting pitcher Greta Cecchetti suffered the loss for the Islanders. Hall was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.
“It’s awesome to win the Southland Conference Tournament,” Hall said. “It was 100% team effort and we did a great job this weekend.
Caley Jeter had a spectacular tournament for the Islanders coming up with key clutch hits that help them advance to the championship game. She was among the three Islanders that made the All Tournament Team while the Bobcats had five including Hall.
According to Jeter, “I did not imagine being here when I starting playing for the Islanders and to end my career in the Southland Conference Tournament is great for me.”
The win gave the Bobcats an atomatic bid to the NCAA tournament and they will find out who their next opponent will be tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. on the NCAA Softball Tournament Selection Show on ESPNU.
To see the highlights of the championship game, go to the website: www.southland.org and click on the SLC Now Logo. It is free for everyone that is a member institution of the Southland Conference. Register now.
Highlights from Day 2 of the Southland Conference Softball Tournament
by Cheval John
Here are the highlights from day 2 of the Southland Conference Softball Tournament
Game 5 (1) Texas A&M Corpus Christi 5 (6) Northwestern State 1
Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders eliminated the Northwestern State Demons by the score of 5-1.
The Demons struck first in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by rightfielder Kayla Cole (1-3).
The Islanders would tie it at 1-1 in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Huntsville native Caley Jeter (1-3).
They would score 3 runs in the top of the sixth to make it 4-1. Shortstop Lauren Dodson (0-3) led off the inning with a walk. Meagan McKinney pinched run for Dodson. Then McKinney stole second to put herself in scoring position. Then thirdbaseman Kacie Smith’s (1-4) single advanced McKinney to third. Smith would steal second to put herself in scoring position. McKinney scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single by designated hitter Sandy Schumann (1-1) who replace starter Stephanie Vead. Two more runs would score on a throwing error by thirdbaseman Tiffany Ward.
Catcher Brittany Tucker (1-4) scored the fifth run of teh game in the top of the seventh on a throwing error by relief pitcher Brooke Boening. Tucker double earlier in the inning with two outs.
According to Caley Jeter, “It’s awesome for me to come back to Huntsville and play in the tournament.”
Game 6 (5) University of Texas- San Antonio 4 (2) University of Texas at Arliington 3 F 11
The University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (UTSA) elimated the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks (UTA) by the score of 4-3 in 11 innings.
Secondbaseman Ashley Kappler (2-6) scored the game winning run on a throwing error by catcher Rachel Forsaw, who tried to turn an inning ending double on a fielders choice play. Forsaw replaced starting catcher Erica LeFlore earlier in the game.
Pinch hitter Haylee Stanton (1-3) started the inning with a single and would advance on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Carrie Monroe (1-5). She would advance to third on a single by Ashley Kappler. Kappler stole second and catcher Molly Fichtner walked to load the bases that set up the dramatic ending.
The Mavericks scored first in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by Erica LeFlore (2-4).
Thirdbaseman Kristin Kappler’s (1-6) RBI single tied it up at 1-1 for the Roadrunners.
They scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth on firstbaseman Caitlyn Ivy’s (2-5) RBI single and on centerfielder Stephanie Gonzalez’s error that allowed the second run to score and for Ivy to advance to third.
Shortstop Courtney Enocksen’s (1-5) two-run single tied it up at 3-3 in the top of the sixth for the Mavericks.
Emily Humpal pitched five innings in relieve and got the win for the Roadrunners while starting pitcher Teri Lyles got the loss in a gutsy performance for the Mavericks.
Game 7 (3) Texas State 2 (4) McNeese State 1
The Texas State Bobcats defeated the McNeese State Cowgirls by the score of 2-1 to advance to the championship game.
The Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by catcher Megan Parten.
The Cowgirls would tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third on an RBI single by secondbaseman Katie Roux.
The key play of the game happened in the top of the sixth when leftfielder Allana Divittorio was robbed of a homerun by centerfielder Allyce Rother.
Parten hit another RBI single in the bottom of the sixth that turned out to be the game-winning run for the Bobcats.
Jenna Emery threw two innings in relieve and got the win for the Bobcats while starting pitcher Kayla Sheperd got the loss for the Cowgirls.
The Bobcats are now 3-0 in the tournament while the Cowgirls are 2-1.
Game 8 (1) Texas A&M Corpus Christi 6 (5) UTSA 5 F 8
Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders eliminated University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners by the score of 6-5 in eight innings.
Rightfielder Lauren Sanders (2-2) scored the game winning run in the bottom of the eight on a wild pitch by pitcher Haylee Stanton. Sanders led off the inning with an infield single. Secondbaseman Caley Jeter followed with a single. Both runners would advance to second and third, respectively on a sacrifice bunt by centerfielder Hannah Schwarz (1-3) that set up the wild finish.
The Islanders scored first in the bottom of the first on a RBI sacrifice fly by shortstop Lauren Dodson (1-3).
Thirdbaseman Kristin Kappler’s (1-2) three-run home run in the top of the fourth gave the Roadrunners a 3-1 lead.
The Islanders exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fourth on a pair of RBI doubles by firstbaseman Jamise Jackson (1-3) and designated hitter Stephanie Vead (1-2), respectively and an RBI single by Huntsville native Caley Jeter and a RBI sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Laura Phillips that made it 5-3.
Roadrunners tied it at 5-5 in the top of the sixth on a two-run double by pinch hitter Danye Holmes.
The Islanders will face the McNeese State Cowgirls in game 9 today at 10:30 a.m. The winner of that game will face the Texas State Bobcats in the championship elimination game at 2:00 p.m. They would need to win two games in the championship in order to win the tournament while Texas State will only need to win one. The championship game will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network.
Highlights from Day 1 of the Southland Conference Softball Tournament
by Cheval John
The 2011 Southland Conference Softball Tournament was hosted by Sam Houston State University at the Bearkat Softball Complex in Huntsville, Texas. There would be a four hour rain delay after Game 1 that push the other games from Game 2 from their normal starting times to a later starting time. The last game would finish close to midnight. Here are the highlights from Day 1:
Game 1 (4) McNeese State 7 (5) University of Texas at San Antonio 1
The McNeese State Cowgirls defeated the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)Roadrunners by the score of 7-1 in the first game of the tournament.
Leftfielder Nikki Goff (1-2) hit a lined shot solo homerun in the top of the third that gave the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead.
The Cowgirls exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run home run by shortstop Molly Guidry (1-1) and an RBI single by designated hitter Kourtney Kober (1-2).
They would add three more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run by firstbaseman Katie Shumaker (2-4) and on a throwing error by Roadrunner secondbaseman Ashley Kappier.
Starting pitcher Kayla Sheperd got the win for the Cowgirls, giving up a run, with six hits and striking out seven, while starting pitcher Emily Humpal got the loss for the Roadrunners.
Game 2 (3) Texas State 8 (6) Northwestern State 0 F 6
Texas State -San Marcos Bobcats run ruled the Northwestern State Demons by the score of 8-0.
The Bobcats scored in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by designated hitter McKenzie Baack (2-3).
In the bottom of the second, leftfielder Lindsay Matt (2-3) singled with two outs. She would score the second run for the Bobcats on a stolen base and a two base error on the same play.
They would score the third run of the game in the bottom of the third with two outs on an RBI double by secondbaseman Anna Hernandez (1-4).
Starting pitcher Chandler Hall (2-3) singled in the fourth run of the game in the bottom of the fourth with two outs.
The Bobcats added four more runs in the bottom of the six that made it 8-0.
Hall got the win for the Bobcats, going six innings with five strike outs, while starting pitcher Kelee Grimes took the loss for the Demons.
Game 3 (4) McNeese State 1 (1) Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0 F 8
Game three of the tournament belong to the McNeese State Cowgirls as they shocked number one seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders 1-0 in eight innings.
Leftfielder Alanna Divittorio (2-4) blasted a solo homerun off the scoreboard in the top of the eight that gave the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead.
The Islanders had an opportunity to win it in the bottom of the seventh as pinch hitter Stephanie Vead (1-1) singled with two-outs. Starting secondbaseman and Huntsville native Caley Jeter (1-4) pinch run for Vead and would advance to second on a walk to Designated Hitter Jamise Jackson (0-2). But centerfielder Hannah Schwarz (0-4) flied out to end the inning, leaving the game-winning run on second.
Starting pitcher Megan Bond got the shut-out win for the Cowgirls while starting pitcher Greta Cechetti got the loss for the Islanders.
Game 4 (3) Texas State 6 (2) University of Texas at Arlington 1
The Texas State Bobcats defeated the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks by the score of 6-1.
The Bobcats scored three runs in the top of the third on a pair of RBI singles by leftfielder Chandler Hall (2-4), designated hitter McKenzie Baack (3-3) and secondbaseman Anna Hernandez (1-4).
They would add three more in the top of the seventh on a pair of RBI singles by Baack, thirdbaseman Jenna Emery (1-3) and on a error by thirdbaseman Taylor Zink.
The Mavericks would score their only run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo homerun by catcher Erica LeFlore (1-3).
Starting pitcher Anna Marie Taylor struck out 12 and got the win for the Bobcats while starting pitcher Callie Collins got the loss for the Mavericks.
The Islanders (0-1) will face Northwestern State (0-1) in Game 5 on Friday at noon
UT-Arlington (0-1) will play UTSA (0-1) in Game 6 at 2:30 p.m.
The Bobcats (2-0) will face McNeese State (2-0) in Game 7 at 5 p.m.
For more information on the tournament, visit the Southland Conference website at: www.southland.org.
It Feels Good To Be “ACED”
by Cheval John
What does business professor Sanjay Mehta, Ph.D., sociology professor Lee Miller, Ph.D., and education professor Joyce McCauley, Ph.D. have in common? Is it the fact that each one of them have spent time overseas? Yes, but that is not the only thing they have in common.
They are one of the members of the Engaged Scholars Committee at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). The Engaged Scholars Committee was the brainchild of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs David Payne, Ph.D. and is made up of professors that represent each of the six colleges at the University.
One of the responsibilities of the committee is to create an atmosphere that will encourage students to build on SHSU’s traditions of public service and community engagement. The committee has brought greater visibility to community engagement by the recent Carnegie recognition of SHSU as an engaged campus. Additionally, the committee is fostering an environment where more faculty offer Academic Community Engagement (ACE) courses. These courses require students to be involved with the community and will begin in the fall of 2011.
An example of an ACE course is Marketing 570, a graduate level course that is taught by Dr. Mehta. The objective of the course is for students to create a marketing plan for small businesses throughout Huntsville. Dr. Mehta choose a small business from a list of businesses that are recommended by the Small Business Development Center. The class is divided into teams of 3-5 students. The course is designed as a competition, where by they compete with one another to develop the best marketing plan. Each of the groups presents their plans (with 5-10 unique ideas) to the business owner. After the presentations, the owner helps Dr. Mehta select the best marketing plan. According to Dr. Mehta, “out of the 60-70 businesses we have written marketing plans over the past 10 years, roughly 90% of them are still in business today.”
According to Dr. Miller, they are three things that students will get from taking an ACE course:
- Students can apply what they are learning in the classroom and means more because they see that knowledge matters in the real world.
- As students are engaged in their communities, they are learning from their communities and are bringing it back into the classroom
- Students are learning that they can make a difference in their communities
On a very practical level, students in ACE courses also gain experience in organizations associated with their field of study. This is experience that can be used to build their resumes and make them stronger candidates for jobs when they leave SHSU.
Dr. McCauley is the chair of the Engaged Scholars Committee and she believes that the students will benefit from the courses because applying what is being learned in a real world situation helps to make course content more meaningful. Because of the committee’s efforts, Sam Houston has achieved the Carnegie Foundation’s classification of “Community Engagement.” It is one of 161 public intstitutions nationwide to receive that classification in 2011.
“Receiving the Carnegie designation is a great accomplishment,” said McCauley. “It took two years of gathering data and each of the members was dedicated to this and it was worth it in the end.”
For those wondering if they should take an ACE designated course, Dr. Miller has this to say:
“When you are involve with any organization through an ACE course, and you do a great job for them, then the supervisor may be willing to write a letter of recommendation that will set you apart from the competition for a job when you graduate.”
For more information about the Engaged Scholars Committee, and to see which classes are designated as an ACE course, visit the ACE website at: www.shsu.edu/~ace
Beating Cancer One Day At A Time
by Cheval John
“I’m sorry, but you have cancer.”
When a person hears these words from the doctor, fear would grip their hearts and they would wonder if they’re going to live long enough to see their children grow up to be adults, or celebrate their wedding anniversaries and many more important milestones.
That’s the case of James S. Olson, Ph.D., Regents Professor of History at Sam Houston State University. He has written or co-written more than 40 books, and his most recent book, “Making Cancer History: Disease and Discovery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center,” describes the difference the center has made in the lives of cancer patients and their families.
Olson received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Brigham Young University in 1967, and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees in History from Stony Brook University in 1969 and 1972, respectively.
“During my time as a graduate student, I was married and had a family,” said Olson. “I had part-time jobs which included washing dishes and mopping floors to support the family.”
After Stony Brook, Olson started teaching at Sam Houston in 1972 and made an immediate impact on the students he taught. By 1977, he had written his first book and received the Excellence in Teaching Award.
Everything was going well for him until receiving that fateful news in 1981 that he had cancer.
“It was very frightening,” said Olson. “I was worried because of the 50/50 survival rate and I had to confront it.”
He received radiation therapy and it had appeared to be gone until it returned years later in his arm and he had no choice but to get it amputated to keep it from spreading.
He had adjusted to life and continued teaching and doing research and in 1994, he received the title of Distinguished Professor. Years later, he received the news that he had a tumor in his brain. It is a slow growth tumor and every few months, he goes to the doctor to make sure that it hasn’t grow to the point that it is life threatening.
During this ordeal, he received great news. In 2003, after the completion of the Academic Building IV, the Texas State University System Board of Regents approved the naming of the auditorium, the James S. Olson Auditorium, in honor of Dr. Olson’s dedication to teaching, research and service to the students of Sam Houston. Three years later, he received the title of Regents Professor from the Texas State University System Board of Regents.
Dr. Olson is an inspiration to many students and especially to his colleagues at Sam Houston. His teaching style makes it easy for the students to understand the material and after a person hears his story and understands the trials and tribulations that he has went through, a person has to appreciate life and to enjoy every moment that is given to them.
One way to honor those that either are survivors or are dealing with cancer, is to participate in Relay for Life that will be held on April 29 at the Elliot T. Bowers Stadium from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
For more information, visit their website at: www.relayforlife.org/samhoustontx
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