MONTCLAIR, N.J. - Salisbury's Brittany Lounge singled home the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third inning and Cortland left 11 runners on base as the Sea Gulls defeated the Red Dragons, 2-1, in an elimination game at the NCAA Division III World Series.
Cortland finishes tied for seventh nationally and completes the season with a 44-9 record, breaking the school single-season record for victories by two. The Red Dragons were making their sixth World Series appearance and second straight. Salisbury (40-6) will play Sunday at noon versus either Gustavus Adolphus or Messiah.
Cortland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) led off with a single, was bunted to second by Crystal Carlson (Lancaster/Iroquois), went to third on an Emily Ringen (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) ground out and scored on Sammi Dieffenbach's (Erin/Horseheads) single to right.
Salisbury tied the score without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the first. Kelly Waskewicz walked and was safe at second on a throwing error after a bunt by Lounge. Waskewicz went to third on a Lauren Brenneman bunt and scored on a wild pitch.
In the third, Meaghan O'Gara led off with a single down the right field line. Waskewicz sacrificed her to second, and a throwing error allowed Waskewicz to reach safely and O"Gara to take third. After Waskewicz stole second, Lounge singled to left to drive in O'Gara. Lounge took second on the throw to the infield, but Waskewicz was thrown out at home after an attempt was made at Lounge at second.
Cortland stranded two runners on, including a runner at third, in both the first and fourth innings. In the fifth, the Red Dragons loaded the bases with no outs on a Cross walk, an error on a Carlson sacrifice bunt and a single by Ringen. Salisbury's Kelsey Mills, who entered the game to pitch in the fourth, escaped the jam. She got a pop-up and a strikeout, then fielded a ball hit to her with two outs and, while sitting on the ground, threw home for the inning-ending force out.
In the top of the seventh, Ringen led off with a deep blast to left that hit off the top of the fence, about a foot away from being a game-tying home run. With one out, Jessica Harman (Penfield) reached on an infield single, and the throw to first by the shortstop was wild. Pinch runner Lexi Deming (Oswego) tried to score from second on the play, but Sallisbury right fielder Casey Zaino backed up the play and threw out Deming for the second out.
With Harman on second, Bethany Williamson (Lyons Falls/South Lewis) hit a drive to the gap in right center that appeared to be ready to drop for the game-tying hit, but Zaino made a diving catch to end the game.
"We had several opportunities with runners in scoring position," said Cortland head coach Julie Lenhart. "If we just could have gotten one hit. We came back so many times, but we just couldn't get one timely hit. It was not a lack of effort.
"The game revolves around little things, whether it's the inches of a base hit or a catch. We played better today, but maybe you just get greedy or you just don't like to lose. There's a sharpness you need when you get to the championship level. Defense many times is going to win a championship. You just want perfection when you're here, but it's tough to be perfect."
Mills earned the victory for Salisbury with four shutout innings of relief. She gave up five hits and two walks and struck out three. Stacy Davis started and allowed three hits and a run in three innings.
Katie Finch (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth) suffered the loss despite allowing only four hits and a walk in six innings. She struck out two and finishes the season 26-7. Ringen went 3-for-4 with a double and Cross was 2-for-3 with a walk as Cortland out-hit Salisbury 8-4.
Cortland had only two seniors, Williamson and Carlson, on its roster this spring, and Carlson has a year of eligibility remaining that she may use next season.
"We're going to have a significant senior class next year, and they are very good leaders," noted Lenhart. "They're great individuals, and with our underclassmen, we are looking forward to a very promising year next season. You can't predict the future, but having this team back with the taste in their mouth in that we just didn't finish, I think it will give us a good jump start for next year."
POST-TOURNAMENT NOTE: Emily Ringen was named to the NCAA Division III World Series All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the tournament. Ringen earned an all-tournament berth for the second straight season.
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