MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - The No. 10 Belhaven Softball team punched their ticket to their first-ever NCAA Division III World Series in dramatic fashion on Friday, downing No. 6 Berry, 3-2, on a walk-off home run from
Anna Caime in the ninth inning of a decisive Game Three.
GAME ONE
Berry opened the scoring in the opening game of the day in the top of the first inning, but Belhaven answered in their half of the inning after a leadoff triple from
Madi Miller and an RBI single from
Allie Gordon.
The Vikings plated a couple in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead into the later innings. Despite some late chances for the Blazers, they could not push across any runs as Berry earned the 3-1 victory to even the series at a game apiece.
Notable Performances
Kennedy Carruth (L, 25-4) 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 8 K
Madi Miller: 1-3, 3B, R
Allie Gordon: 2-3, 2B, RBI
Anna Caime: 1-3
GAME TWO
With a trip to Marshall and the DIII World Series on the line, Game Three of the series fit the bill. In a similar start to the previous contest, Belhaven answered a Viking run in the first with a run of their own after a leadoff triple from
Madi Miller.
Ellie Jones drove her in with a sacrifice fly to even things after one.
Berry retook the lead with a run in the second, but once again Belhaven responded with a run in the half as
Natalie Parker came around to score from second on a fielder's choice from
Mary Moore Widemire.
Pitching took over from that point on as Belhaven starter
Kennedy Carruth and Berry's Danielle Sudick threw up six consecutive zeroes each to send the game into extra innings.
After another 1-2-3 frame from Carruth in the top of the ninth,
Anna Caime played hero to lead off the inning, launching a no-doubt, walk-off homer to left-center field to send Belhaven to the DIII World Series.
Caime was named the Mount Berry Super Regional's Most Outstanding Player, while Carruth was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Notable Performances
Kennedy Carruth (W, 26-4) 9.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9 K
Anna Caime: 2-3, HR, RBI, R
Ellie Jones: 2-3, 2B, RBI
Natalie Parker: 2-3, R
Belhaven will play for a national title next week in Marshall, Texas, in the NCAA DIII World Series. The tournament runs from May 30th-June 5th and will feature the final eight teams standing.
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