Lady Blues win Big Blue Classic with comeback victory

March 16, 2002

Washburn vs Colorado Springs Box Score | Washburn Vs Tarleton State Box Score | Season Stats | Big Blue Tournament Stats

TOPEKA - For the second straight day, the Washburn Lady Blues made a six-run deficit disappear against Tarleton State to win the inaugural Ramada Inn Big Blue Classic 10-9 in extra innings. The Lady Blues capped the comeback with a Dawn Nachbar bases loaded single scoring Brooke Lyons who was placed on second with the international tie-breaker rule.

The Lady Blues were a perfect 5-0 in the event. Washburn's Julie Blaufuss was named Offensive MVP after going 8 for 19 with 11 RBI and four home runs in the event scoring five runs. Pitching MVP honors went to Katie Gregg who came in the championship game in relief to pitch 6.1 innings striking out four. For the event, Gregg was 2-0 with a 0.91 ERA pitching 15.1 innings, with two earned runs and 15 strike outs with no walks.

The Lady Blues jumped on the scoreboard first in the championship game scoring a single run in the bottom of the first, but Tarleton State would explode for six runs in the top half of the second on a Kristen Williams two-run homer. After a Jami Lovejoy double that scored two more runs, the Lady Blues were down 6-1. They would score a solo run in the second on a Kristen Cheney single which would chase starting pitcher Jill Ratliff, who would eventually return for the TexAnns in the six inning to take the loss. For the weekend, Cheney was 11 for 16 with 10 runs scored and 4 RBI.

Washburn would go scoreless in the third, but the TexAnns would add another run in the third to increase its lead to 7-2. After Tarleton scored again in the fourth to make the score 8-2, the Lady Blues would score two in the bottom of the fourth on Dara Clouse's two-out double scoring Brooke Lyons.

Setting up the comeback win in the sixth inning for Washburn was back-to-back walks and Blaufuss' fourth home run of the weekend, a three-run shot scoring Clouse and Cheney.

In the seventh inning, Keri Tanner smacked her second home run of the season tying the ball game at nine leading to the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

The Lady Blues advanced to the championship game with a 6-1 over Colorado-Colorado Springs. Gregg pitched the complete game striking out eight allowing no earned runs and walking no one. Cheney and Blaufuss each hit home runs for the Lady Blues - Blaufuss' was a grand slam in the fourth inning turning a 1-1 tie into a 5-1 Lady Blues' lead.

In the first semifinal, Tarleton advanced to the championship game by defeating South Dakota State 5-2. Colorado Springs won the consolation final with a 5-4 win over South Dakota State on Jennifer Dykstra's two-out triple driving in Jessica Coltrin for the win.

The Lady Blues will now leave tomorrow for the Orlando Rebel Springs games where they will play 10 games in five days before returning to the Washburn Softball Complex to open MIAA play taking on Northwest Missouri State on April 27 in a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m.