Courtesy of the A-Sun
FORT MYERS, FLA. – USC Upstate claimed its second Atlantic Sun Softball Championship title as the Spartans defeated Lipscomb 9-1 in Saturday’s Championship Final. The Spartans scored all nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to walk-off with the win and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Lexi Shubert was named the Tournament MVP after winning her third game of the 2015 A-Sun Championship. She was joined by teammates Aly Schneider, Karla Beasley and Shellie Robinson on the All-Tournament team. Robinson had a huge three-run home run in today’s championship victory.
Lipscomb, who entered the day knowing they had to beat Upstate twice, came out on fire in the opening inning. Paige Neely and Mimi Cartwright put together back-to-back doubles to score the opening run of the day. Shubert settled down to only give up one run in the inning.
Tanner Sanders, one of three All-Tournament selections from Lipscomb, was back in the circle to face the Spartans for the third time this season. She had it going early on as her changeup was keeping the Upstate lineup off balance throughout the first three innings. She was matched by Shubert who retired eight straight batters from the second to the fourth inning.
Shellie Robinson, the two-time A-Sun Player of the Year, was moved to the leadoff spot today by Coach Hawkins as the Spartans looked to get Robinson’s offense going. She walked four times the last time the Spartans and Lady Bisons played on Friday. Robinson was 0-for-2 with a walk as the score remained 1-0 in favor of Lipscomb in the sixth inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, Shubert struck out two to finish with seven strikeouts on the day and 214 for the season to keep the Spartans close in the game. Then the Spartans offense came to life in the bottom of the sixth inning. Schneider led off the inning with a three-base error as Gracey Aguirre misplayed a ball in right field. Beasley was up next and the 2015 A-Sun Freshman of the Year delivered her 10th RBI of the tournament on a sacrifice fly.
Two batters later, Dana Landers got on base on an error by the shortstop, the second of the inning, and was followed by a Cheyenne Griffin walk. Kaitlyn Jaeger loaded the bases with a single to right. Lindsey Greeson then grounded a ball to third base, but the throw got away from the first basemen and the Spartans took the lead as Landers and Griffin scored.
Next up was Robinson and she put an exclamation point on this Championship Final with her first hit of the tournament, a three-run home run to left center field. It was her 22nd home run of the season, 69th of her career and she tied the A-Sun’s career runs scored record with 216.
The Spartans took a 6-1 lead, but were not done in the bottom of the sixth inning. Schneider and Reinfeld produced back-to-back singles which brought on a pitching change in the circle for Lipscomb. Kelly Young, an All-Tournament selection, came on but hit the first batter she faced in Karla Beasley. With the bases loaded once again, Settlemyre hit a two-RBI single to right field to bring Upstate within a run of closing out the game.
With Landers back at the plate for a second time in the inning, Young’s pitch got by catcher Laura Dukes and rolled to the backstop allowing Beasley to score and give Upstate the 9-1 victory and its second Atlantic Sun Softball Championship title.
Lipscomb finishes the season with a 31-24 record, while USC Upstate improved its record to 42-8 and will now look to the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday May 10th at 10 p.m. ET live on ESPNU. The Spartans will be making their third consecutive NCAA Regional appearance.
USC Upstate vs. Lipscomb Softball Championship Notes
– The nine runs scored by USC Upstate in the bottom of the sixth inning marked a new A-Sun Championship record for runs in a single inning. The previous mark was seven.
– Shellie Robinson tied the A-Sun’s all-time career runs scored mark at 216 after her three-run HR in today’s win.
– USC Upstate extended it’s A-Sun single-season home run record to 93. Shellie Robinson hit her 22nd home run of the season, tied for third most in a single-season.
– Lexi Shubert won her 33rd game of the season, tied for third most all-time in a single-season in A-Sun history. She won all three games she pitched in the 2015 A-Sun Championship and was named the Most Valuable Player for the first time in her career.
– Both of USC Upstate’s A-Sun Championship titles have come against Lipscomb in the final game.
– Mimi Cartwright acounted for the lone RBI today for the Lady Bisons. It was her 22nd of the season.
All-Tournament Team
– Lexi Shubert, USC Upstate (MVP)
– Shellie Robinson, USC Upstate
– Aly Schneider, USC Upstate
– Karla Beasley, USC Upstate
– Kelly Young, Lipscomb
– Gracey Aguirre, Lipscomb
– Tanner Sanders, Lipscomb
– Chelsea Hostetler, Stetson
– Jessie TenBroeck, Stetson
– Paige Mathews, Kennesaw State
– Kelly Wilson, North Florida
