(Photo Courtesy of Memphis Athletics)
LAFAYETTE, La. – Freshman outfielder Lindsay Crowdus hit the game-winning triple in the 11th inning as Memphis defeated Boston College 5-3 at Lamson Park in Lafayette, La. on Friday afternoon.
Crowdus, who finished the game with three hits, tripled off the wall with one out in the 11th inning, scoring Anna Thomas to give Memphis a 4-3 lead. Brittany Vaughn added a run-scoring double later in the frame to give the Tigers the two-run cushion.
Christian Novak (2-0) picked up her second win of the season for Memphis (2-3). The freshman pitcher entered the game in the second inning in relief of Jordan Richwood, and pitched 9.2 innings of shutout softball. Novak allowed only four hits and struck out nine Boston College batters.
Ellen Roberts recorded the final out of the game and picked up her first save of the season. The senior extended her school record and now has six career saves.
At the plate, Vaughn, Ijiah Hargrove and Libby Goranson each added one hit apiece for Memphis.
In a losing effort, Nicole D’Argento (1-1) pitched 10.1 innings in relief for Boston College (1-1). D’Argento allowed two runs while striking out nine Tigers.
Memphis did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Crowdus led off the game with a single and moved to second on a bunt single by Hargrove. Crowdus advanced to third after a fielding error on the play. Vaughn then drew a walk which loaded the bases for Memphis. Senior Libby Goranson delivered a run-scoring single to right field, scoring Crowdus and Hargrove after a fielding error by Boston College. Vaughn scored the third Memphis run of the inning after a double-play groundout by Amber Lindahl, concluding the Memphis scoring and giving the Tigers an early 3-0 lead.
Boston College responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the opening frame. After Richwood forced a leadoff groundout, she gave up a single to Taylor Coroneos and walked Nicole D’Argento. Tory Speer, the Eagles’ cleanup hitter, followed with a three-run home run to left field, tying the game at three after one inning of play.
After the first inning, the contest materialized into a pitchers’ duel between Novak and D’Argento. The two pitchers each worked nine shutout innings before Memphis broke through in the 11th.
Boston College loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Novak was able to work out of the jam. After a ground out and two walks, BC’s Jessie Daulton singled to load the bases for Eagles. Novak was able to close out the inning with a strike out and a pop out to keep the game tied at three.
The Tigers only had one base runner from the first inning into the ninth, after a single by Crowdus in the top of the fifth.
The game moved into international tiebreaker rules in the 10th inning, meaning each team started their half of the inning with a runner on second base. Memphis was unable to score Hannah Harrell from second in the top of the frame.
Boston College started the bottom of the 10th with Coroneos on second base. She moved to third on a ground out by D’Argento. Novak intentionally walked Speer to put the force out in play, then worked out of trouble by striking out Cortez and forcing a fly out to center field to end the inning.
Memphis regained the lead in the top half of the 11th inning. Anna Thomas started the inning on second base, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Wheeler Hill. Crowdus gave Memphis the 4-3 advantage with the triple off of the center field wall. Two batters later, Brittany Vaughn doubled in Ijiah Hargrove to give the Tigers the 5-3 advantage.
Novak started the bottom of the 11th with a pop out and a strike out before walking two straight batters. Roberts replaced Novak in the circle, and forced Coroneos to fly out to left field to seal the victory for Memphis.
Memphis is back in action later this afternoon, facing off with No. 4 Michigan (3-1) at Lamson Park.
