Temple University Athletics
OWLS LOSE EXTRA INNING SOFTBALL AFFAIR AT RHODE ISLAND
4.21.02 | Softball
Tindall had two of the four hits off Temple righthander Liz Naughton, who took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh and came within one strike of her sixth straight victory, only to see Rhode Island tie the game on an improbable third-strike passed ball.
Naughton, who'd allowed just one run over her previous 26 innings, hit leadoff hitter Gabby Zagami to open the home seventh (the final scheduled inning), then gave up a single to Tindall and a walk to Custance. With two outs and the bases loaded, No. 9 hitter Kirsten Olson just barely held up on a 2-2 pitch in the dirt.
Olsen swung and missed at another low pitch, but the ball glanced off catcher Alexis Gary's glove. Olsen raced to first, while Zagami streaked in from third and Naughton rushed in to cover home. Gary pounced on the ball about six feet from the plate and flipped it to Naughton, but Zagami's hard slide sent pitcher and ball flying in opposite directions.
The fourth-place Rams (19-24, 8-7) avenged a 3-1 loss to Naughton just a day earlier and gave Rack her second three-hit victory in two days over Temple (21-22, 10-5), which entered the game tied for second place. Rack won the opener of Saturday's doubleheder by an identical 2-1 score, while Naughton won the nightcap.
Through six scoreless innings on Sunday, Rack allowed just one hit and Naughton two. But Temple scored in the top of the seventh on a walk and a two-out RBI single by freshman shortstop Aida Esquer.
Rhode Island came in clinging to a one-game over St. Joseph's in the race for the fourth and final Atlantic 10 playoff berth, with seven league games to play. The Rams will host the A-10 playoffs May 9-11.
