Softball Falls 3-2 in NCAA Tournament Opener

#5 seed Ohio Dominican 3, #4 seed Truman 2 || Box Score
2014 Schedule || 2014 Season Stats || Career Stats

ST. LOUIS – Solo home runs by Andrea Klipsch and Alexis VanNostrand couldn't rally the Truman softball team from an early 3-0 deficit, as fifth-seeded Ohio Dominican upset the fourth-seeded Bulldogs 3-2 in the opening round of the NCAA Div. II Midwest regional, held on the campus of Missouri-St. Louis on Friday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (41-12) move into the consolation bracket of the four-team sub-regional and will play the loser of No. 1 seed UMSL and No. 8 seed Bellarmine at 1:30 pm on Saturday.

ODU took advantage of a Bulldog miscue in the first, as with one out and a runner on first, Panther DP Taylor Thomas reached on a fielder's choice when a throw went high to first on a potential double play ball. One pitch later, ODU's Allie Hinton drove a pitch over the left-center field wall for a 2-0 lead.

A Bulldog error in the second led to another ODU run, as a throw from the outfield skipped into the Truman dugout, allowing the Panthers to trot home for a 3-0 lead.

Truman began to chip away with solo home runs by Klipsch and A. VanNostrand in the fourth and fifth. For Klipsch, it marked her seventh home run of the season, while VanNostrand blasted her fifth over the left field wall to pull Truman to within a run.

Both teams committed costly base-running errors in the sixth and seventh, when the Bulldogs were doubled off first in front of ODU falling to the same fate on a Jessica VanNostrand catch behind second base in the top of the seventh.

A. VanNostrand reached via error to open the bottom of the seventh, but after she moved to second on a sac bunt, the Bulldogs had two flyouts to end the afternoon.

Each of Truman's first four hitters – Lewellen, Klipsch, Kelsey Bollman, and Cate Simon – along with No. 6 hitter A. VanNostrand adding one of her own. Kelsea Dorsey (20-6) started and took the loss, giving up six hits and two earned runs in three innings. Kindra Henze pitched four innings of relief and struck out four while allowing just two base hits.

Hinton led ODU with two hits, while Rachel Stanzel improved to 21-14 by throwing a complete-game five-hitter.

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