Florida Southern Defeats Tampa in NCAA South Regional

VALDOSTA, Ga. - The University of Tampa (27-14) softball team came out on the wrong end of a slugfest as it fell by an 8-6 score to Florida Southern College (43-14) in the 2009 NCAA II South Regional at the VSU Softball Complex.

After three innings of scoreless play, Florida Southern struck first with a big five-run fourth inning. A Spartan throwing error allowed two of the five runs to be unearned as the Mocs capitalized with a three-run home run by Elli Howell.

The Spartans quickly responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth to break out of a scoring slump that last 17 innings. Michele Horan got things started with a lead-off single and advanced on a throwing error, followed by a Becky Vyzas single. Rachel Browning then singled, driving in Horan, as Jessica Keefe drove in a run with another two-run double off the center field wall. Browning and Keefe later scored on a Susan Jallo base hit as UT trimmed the FSC advantage to 5-4.

The top-half of the fifth inning resembled the fourth for the Mocs as Howell came to the plate with two runners on base and connected on her second three-run homer of the game to take back three runs. One of the runs was unearned as FSC's Angela Williams reached via error.

Keefe did her part to keep the Spartans in the game as she scored two on a two-out double in the Spartan half of the fifth. Scoring on the play were Browning and Shannon Kelly, who was pinch-running for Samantha Becker as UT cut the FSC lead to 8-6.

Following a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, each was also scoreless in the seventh as the Spartan offense was unable to muster a season-saving rally.

Heather Van Landingham (8-4) started for the Spartans, pitching five innings while striking out one. She gave way to Deanna Henriott, who threw a pair of scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Brittany Minton (17-8) earned the victory for Florida Southern as she entered in relief.

Horan and Keefe each collected a pair of hits for Tampa, as Keefe also drove in three runs. Susan Jallo also had a pair of RBIs for the Spartans.

The loss in the double elimination tournament ends the season for the Spartans, who participated in their second consecutive NCAA South Regional.