Bulldogs Defeat Detroit In Horizon League Elimination Game
May 11, 2007
Junior Nikki Naffziger turned in a complete game pitching effort and junior Jenny Jacobs drove in four runs to lead Butler to a 7-1 victory over Detroit in an elimination game at the 2007 Horizon League Softball Championship at Viking Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday (May 11.). The win boosted the Bulldogs to 26-23 on the season, matching the Butler single season record for wins first set in 1982!
The Bulldogs scored all the runs that Naffziger needed in the first inning. Senior JoAnna Zumbrun and sophomore Annie Dolan opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and both advanced a base on a ground out by sophomore Alex Boros. Junior Jenny Jacobs followed with a single to centerfield, scoring Zumbrun. Dolan and Jacobs scored later on an outfield error.
Butler stretched the lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning with four runs on four hits. Senior Jill Meinhold started the rally with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Melissa Shofroth. Sophomore Lindsay Schluge followed with a single and with two outs, Dolan walked to load the bases. Boros singled to drive in one run and then Jacobs cleared the bases with a double to right-center field.
Naffziger was in control throughout. She blanked the Titans through five innings on four hits, before yielding a solo home run to Kaleigh Rafter in the sixth inning. The Butler righthander then set Detroit down in order in the seventh inning to improve to 6-4 on the season. She allowed just six hits in the contest, while striking out six.
Zumbrun, Jacobs and Shofroth each had two hits in the contest, and Butler finished with 10 hits as a team.
The win advances the Bulldogs to a second elimination game against host Cleveland State on Friday evening. Detroit ends the season with a 12-31 record.
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