Cal Lutheran Ousted From Softball Championships

MIDLAND, Mich —  For the second consecutive season, Cal Lutheran has been eliminated in two games at the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics softball championships.

The Regals committed five errors and suffered their first no-hit defeat in two seasons in losing a first-round game to Kearney (Neb.) State, 3-0, Thursday. Bloomfield (N.J.) College then ousted Cal Lutheran from the double-elimination tournament with a 1-0 victory.

DeeAndra Pilkington (18-5), the first CLU player to be selected to the NAIA All-American team, had her streak of 25 consecutive scoreless innings snapped when she allowed an unearned run in the third inning of the first game. The Lady Antelopes (30-14) added two more unearned runs in the seventh on three Cal Lutheran errors.

“I can’t say I didn’t wish we played a little better,” Cal Lutheran Coach Wendy Beckemeyer said. “Five errors is very unlike us.

“You just never know when you walk into a tournament like this who is going to walk out with it. We expected them to be tough, but I thought our team had the potential to beat them on our best day.”

Sophomore right-hander Susan Johnson (22-7) of Kearney State struck out nine and walked one en route to a complete-game victory. She allowed only two Regal baserunners--Pilkington, who reached base on an error in the first, and Danielle Piotrowski, who walked in the third.

“Their pitcher was very strong, but I can’t say she was tougher than any of the pitchers we faced on a Division II level,” Beckemeyer said.

In the second game, Cal Lutheran (35-18) collected five singles and stranded six. Sophomore right-hander Leslie Stevens (12-6) gave up five hits and struck out five in suffering the loss.

Patti Murphy tripled to right-center field with two out in the third and scored on Kelly Dockx’s single to center for the Lady Deacons’ only run.

Freshman right-hander Pam Koller (23-2) struck out one and walked two en route to a complete-game victory.

Beckemeyer, whose resignation became official Thursday, said that she was disappointed with the Regals’ early exit from the tournament but pleased with their success this season.

“You have to look back on the entire season and not just the way it ended,” Beckemeyer said.

Cal Lutheran advanced to the national tournament after winning its second consecutive District 3 title last week.

The Regals were eliminated in two games in the national tournament last season, losing to Minnesota-Duluth, 6-2, and West Florida, 5-1.