The No. 19-ranked Angelo State softball team (49-13) opened the 2010 NCAA Division II Softball National Championship Finals with a 10-3 win over No. 4-ranked Metropolitan State. Making their fourth to the national finals, the Rambelles improve to 4-0 in first round games at the event.
The Rambelles jumped out an early lead as they took advantage of nine illegal pitches by MSC starter Christie Robinson in the opening frame. Senior Sarah DeMoss opened the bottom of the first with a walk, thanks to an illegal pitch. DeMoss then stole second and advanced to third base on another illegal pitch. Junior Kaycee Taylor then plated DeMoss with a groundout, giving the Rambelles a 1-0 lead. Junior Alix Dean picked up ASU's first hit of the national finals with a single up the middle and then advanced to second and third on a pair of illegal pitches. Dean later came home on an RBI single up the middle by freshman Amanda Wilhelm to put ASU up 2-0 after one inning of play.
ASU extended its lead to 3-0 just two batters into the second frame as senior Megan Pumphrey took a 1-2 pitch over the right centerfield fence, her sixth of the season. Senior Nicole Smith then reached on a walk thanks to another illegal pitch and was quickly plated by a double by DeMoss.
The Roadrunners (51-5) cut the lead in half in the top of the third when Tara Mickelson used a two-run home run, scoring Sarah Rusch, to trim the ASU advantage to 4-2. The long ball was Mickelson's NCAA D-II-leading 24th of the season. The Rambelles responded in the bottom of the third, however, when Wilhelm was given home on an illegal pitch by MSC reliever Brittany Moss.
ASU added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, this time on three hits, to pull away. With one out in the frame, DeMoss collected her second double of the game. After a walk drawn by Taylor, Dean used a double to left centerfield to plate DeMoss from second base. It was Dean's school-record tying 21st double of the season, matching the mark set by Sandy James last season. Taylor later came home on a groundout by freshman Kacie Easley and Wilhelm plated Dean with an infield single to extend ASU's lead to six runs, 8-2.
MSC tacked on one final run in the top of the fifth on a double by Mickelson, scoring Rusch from first base.
Senior right-hander Chelsea Nelson (28-8) earned the victory, giving up three earned runs on six htis in a complete-game performance. Nelson had three strikeouts and no walks in the win. Dean led Rambelle offense going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while DeMoss ended the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Wilhelm also went 2-for-3, adding two RBI and a run scored.
For MSC, Christie Robinson (28-3) was handed the loss after giving up three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 1.1 innings of work. Moss tossed the final 4.2 innings of the game, allowing seven runs, five earned, with a strikeout and three walks. The duo combined for 20 illegal pitches in the game, 11 by Robinson and nine by Moss. Mickelson ended the game 2-for-3 three RBI and a run scored.
The Rambelles advance to the winner's bracket and will face No. 3-ranked Hawaii Pacific at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The Sea Warriors (47-8) advanced earlier Thursday with a 3-1 win over Wayne State (Mich.).