10:00 a.m. - Firestone Stadium, Semifinal
#1 Briarcliffe College (2-0) - 5, #4 Iowa Wesleyan (1-1) - 3
Top-seed Briarcliffe College used a five-run fourth inning and then held on to top fourth-seeded Iowa Wesleyan, 5-3, in a semifinal of the 2013 USCAA Softball National Championship at Firestone Stadium on Tuesday morning.
The Bulldogs advance to the winner's bracket semifinal against the winner of Carlow/Lindenwood-Belleville at 6:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium later Tuesday night. Iowa Wesleyan moves into the loser's bracket to face WVU Tech at 2:00 p.m. at Firestone Stadium.
Iowa Wesleyan got on the board first with a run in the second, capitalizing on two hits to lead off the inning. Andrea Bury hit a sacrifice fly to shallow right field as the Tigers picked up a 1-0 lead.
After a scoreless third, Briarcliffe began the fourth with three consecutive doubles, including an RBI two-bagger by starting pitcher Ivette Yi-Santiago that gave Briarcliffe the only lead they would need at 2-1. Following a walk and a sac bunt, another walk loaded the bases. Alicia Sheron then singled to score a run, and an RBI groundout from Emily Mazzaro made it 4-1. A passed ball scored Shannon Dougherty as Briarcliffe took a 5-1 lead into the fifth.
Iowa Wesleyan threatened in the fourth, but would not cross the plate again until the fifth when Ayla Serrano doubled to score two runs and cut the Bulldogs lead to 5-3. However, Yi-Santiago would stifle the Tigers offense the remainder of the game to advance the top-seed to the next round. Yi-Santiago finished the complete game by scattering eight hits over seven innings, giving up three runs and striking out three.
Sonja Holmes took the loss for the Tigers, lasting three-plus innings before being knocked out during the Bulldogs half of the fourth.
