Temple University Athletics
James Caps 8-0 A-10 Tournament Win With Walk-Off Grand Slam
5.9.07 | Softball
May 9, 2007
Temple vs. UMass Radio Broadcast
Atlantic 10/UMass Tournament Central
Amherst, Pa. - With one out and the bases loaded, freshman Shannon James launched a game-winning, walk-off grand slam that propelled fourth-seeded Temple (18-19) over fifth-seeded Charlotte (32-22), 8-0, in the opening round of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Softball Tournament Wednesday afternoon. Senior All-America candidate Adrienne Repsher and juniors Anna Rico and Brittany Burks each collected two hits for the Cherry and White.
Junior pitcher Brianna Dairy (7-4) logged five innings while surrendering six hits and striking out two. After tallying her third complete game shutout this season, Dairy's team-best ERA dropped to a season-low 2.85.
Repsher, named the conference's Player and Co-Student-Athlete of the Year Tuesday, led off the final frame with her second double of the game and team-best 12th this season. Sophomore Katie Burdeaux's double down the leftfield line scored Repsher, supplying the Owls with a 4-0 cushion, before sophomore Courtney Norene and Rico loaded the bases and set the stage for James' first career home run.
Entering the contest, James had only tallied 18 at-bats all season and hadn't been to the plate since April 5 vs. Fordham. However, second-year head coach Casey Dickson gave James the nod at the designated player position in the Owls' first postseason game since 2004. Before the Boothwyn Pa.'s late-inning heroics, James outlasted an 11-pitch at-bat vs. Charlotte pitcher Kristen Bowen (14-12) for a walk and reached on a fielder's choice in the fourth inning.
The Cherry and White built a three-run advantage heading into the fifth inning as a result of tallying one run apiece in the second, third and fourth frames. With two outs in the second, Rico's infield bunt single later turned into a run scored after Burks' RBI bloop single into leftfield.
With two outs in the third, with Repsher sitting on 60 feet from home plate, Norene's strikeout turned fruitful for the Owls. After 49ers catcher Becky Matthews dropped strike three, first baseman Kaycie Jones bobbled the throw allowing Repsher to score and Norene to reach first base safely. Repsher's run, her 42nd of the season, sets Temple's new single-season record (Katie Weigle, 2003).
Burks nearly missed her second home run of the season in the fourth inning before James scored one of her two runs on an RBI groundout from junior Natalie Wagner.
Charlotte nearly cut into the lead and could have reversed the outcome of the contest after loading the bases with no outs in the fourth. However, after Lauren Schmitz flied out to Rico in center, Dairy induced Jones into a 5-2-3 twin-killing to escape any trouble unscathed.
In addition to James, Repsher and Rico also tallied two runs apiece.
With the win, Temple advances to the tournament's winners bracket and will meet first-seeded Massachusetts on Thursday at noon. Cherry and White fans can follow the game on CSTV's GameTracker or listen live via OwlSports.com.
