AKRON, OH - It is a Spalding spring. A week following an outstanding come from behind Championship in baseball, Spalding's softball team captures a National Championship of their own. The Golden Eagles defeated St. Mary of the Woods College 4-3, on a walk off hit by Peyton French at Firestone Stadium on Thursday in Akron.
Their story started differently from their baseball team, making their way to the championship in the top half of the bracket with wins over St. Joseph's College Brooklyn (4-0), Lindenwood Belleville (3-2), and Carlow University (4-3).
In the Championship, Spalding met annual powerhouse St. Mary of the Woods, who own six of the National Championships since the USCAA reorganized in 2001. The story of the tournament was senior pitcher, Rena Philpot. Philpot started in three of Spalding’s four wins in the Championship and was named tournament MVP for her efforts.
Philpot started the scoring for Spalding in the championship game, singling in the bottom of the second and crossing home after a single by Shelby Pfaadt. Sophomore catcher, Callie Howard, would also score to make the game 2-0. Philpot started things off again with a third inning one-out single. Samantha Hollingsworth came in to pinch run for Philpot, and was advance to second on a stolen base. Howard came through again, with a RBI single, scoring Hollingsworth, and putting the Golden Eagles in prime position for their first championship.
However, St. Mary of the Woods, who reached the championship via an improbable 7-1 comeback versus #2 seed, Lindenwood Belleville, would follow suit. Following a lead-off walk by Libby Wright, a Jessica Jonas single, and a walk by Carly Painter, the bases were loaded for the Pomeroys. Melinda Bauer then singled to drive in one run. Later, All-Tournament selection Shelby Barnett would go on to drive in two runs. Still, Philpot would strike out two and have the final batter pop out to third to get out of the jam.
The game stayed tied at three, until the seventh. With tensions high, and one out Katie Phillips would single. All-tournament selection Sara Goelz (SMWC) would then strike out the next batter for two outs with only one runner on. Again, it was time for heroics from MVP Rena Philpot. She singled, to put Phillips in scoring position. In walk off fashion, Peyton French came to the plate, chopped a ball between third and short, just out of the reach of All-American short-stop Shelby Barnett. Phillips flew around third, and slid into home plate, as Spalding stormed the field to celebrate their first ever USCAA Softball National Championship.
Following the game, the USCAA announced the 2012 All-Tournament team:
Ashley Watkins | Penn State Beaver
Sara Goelz | St. Mary of the Woods
Shelby Barnett | St. Mary of the Woods
Samantha Kleekamp | Lindenwood Belleville
Jillian McGovern | Briarcliffe
Megan Dulaney | Carlow
Peyton French | Spalding
Tia McIntosh | Spalding
Hannah Stucker | Spalding
Rena Philpot | Spalding – MVP