Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Liberty
Wildcats edge Liberty to advance in NISC
5/22/2017 2:57:00 AM | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Wildcats pulled through in a nail-biting finish, and are moving on.
Junior right-hander Kirtlyn Bohling threw a complete-game five hitter and the Weber State University softball team edged Liberty 3-2 to advance in the championship round of the National Invitational Softball Championship, hosted by the Flames at Liberty Softball Stadium.
Weber State improved to 37-20-1 overall, and will face Kennesaw State (39-18) at 11 a.m. on Monday in the winner's bracket. Liberty, which fell to 41-24, will face either Illinois State or Lamar in the one-loss bracket at 2 p.m. MT
"It's a great opportunity to be playing at such a fantastic facility and against some really great teams," Bohling said. "Tonight's win was a fantastic example of timely clutch hitting, and a great all-around team win. Moving on, we'll continue taking it one pitch at a time and playing Wildcat softball."
Bohling improved to 22-12 in the circle, setting a new Big Sky Conference single-season record with her 22nd win of the year.
"Kirty pitched an outstanding game and we made some really nice defensive plays to get the win," Weber State coach Mary Kay Amicone said. "It was an exciting ending for sure. (Junior left fielder) Rae (Gall) came up big with a clutch home run, and (freshman right fielder Takesha Saltern) had a great two-out RBI.
"We love the championship atmosphere here. I'm really proud of our composure and fight throughout the game."
Neither team managed a hit in the first three innings of the game as both pitchers settled in for a duel.
The Wildcats broke-up the no-hitter in the fourth when freshman center fielder Landi Hawker singled up the middle on a 2-2 pitch, and then scored when Gall smacked an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
The Flames led off the fourth with a double, but the Wildcats held firm and caught the base-runner trying to steal home with a 2-6-2 rundown for the final out of the inning.
Senior third baseman KyRae Kogianes doubled to right center to lead off the fifth, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, before Saltern scored her with a two-out RBI single to left field. The hit was Saltern's 90th hit of the year, which ties her for the NCAA national lead in hits.
Liberty led off the seventh with three straight singles and a throwing error, closing the gap to 3-2 with the tying run on second base and no outs, but Bohling got a three-pitch strikeout for the first out, before a line-out to first base put two away, and the Wildcats got a fly-out to center field for the final out.
