AASU's Crane One-Hits Braves At NCAA Regional

PEMBROKE – Armstrong Atlantic junior Jacquie Crane came one out away from a no-hitter in leading the seventh-seeded AASU softball squad to a 5-0 victory over host and second-seeded UNC Pembroke on Wednesday evening in the opening round of the 2008 NCAA South Atlantic Regional.

“Jacquie got to a really slow start this season and over the last month she has really picked it up,” said AASU head coach Ted Evans. “Coming into today and over the course of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament she has allowed just one earned run over the last 47 innings. She’s been really hot coming into the postseason.”

The Pirates (28-21) got on the board in the second inning on back-to-back doubles by Tori Richter and Kari Marsico. The game remained 1-0 thanks to some nifty defense as AASU turned inning-ending double plays in the fourth and fifth innings. AASU then broke the game open in the sixth inning on Stephanie Mattes' two-RBI single, then tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh inning on a Richter RBI double and a sacrifice fly by Marsico.

The Braves (44-13) broke up Crane's no-hit bid with two outs in the seventh on Candace Evans' single. Richter led the Pirates offensively with three doubles and two runs scored, while Marsico added two hits and two RBI.

Martika Elmore got the loss for UNCP falling to 22-5 on the season with Crane improving to 12-7 for the Pirates. AASU will now advance to face sixth-seeded North Georgia on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in continuing NCAA South Atlantic Regional action. The Braves will play at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow against third-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne.