Polar Bears finish third in OAC Tournament

May 3, 2008

By Gary Petit

NEW CONCORD — No. 11 Muskingum scored three runs in the bottom of the first and held on to defeat the Ohio Northern women's softball team 4-2 Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the OAC Tournament.

The loss elimates the third-seeded Polar Bears (28-13) from the OAC Tournament in thid place. Muskingum (35-8) advances to the championship game to face Mount Union.

Earlier today, ONU advanced to the semifinals after defeating John Carroll 8-0 in a game that was suspended from last night.

Junior Danielle Goubeaux and sophomores Mandi Fought and Katie Salay each collected two hits in the game. Goubeaux scored both of ONU's runs and Fought swiped her ONU-record 33rd stolen base of the season.

Sophomore Liz Decima smacked a two-out double in the top of the seventh for only other Polar Bear hit of the game.

The Muskies got to ONU starter Stephanie Inkrott for three runs in the bottom of the first on two singles and a double.

Goubeaux singled and later scored on a throwing error to pull the Polar Bears to within two at 3-1.

Muskingum answered with an unearned run of its own in the bottom of the third to stretch the lead back to three at 4-1.

Northern got the final tally of the game as junior Lisa Goltry's sacrifice fly scored Goubeaux to make the score 4-2.

Inkrott was saddled with the loss, falling to 14-7 on the season and Msukingum's Amy Mattin threw all seven innings to pick up the win and move to 25-3 on the year.

ONU still has an outside opportunity of claiming an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. The tournament field will be announced Monday or Tuesday of next week.