NE Oklahoma A&M shuts out Iowa Western in third round
May 17, 2013
STEVE JOHNSON, DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY
ST. GEORGE, Utah – NE Oklahoma A&M starter Kaitlin Davis fanned 11 and fired a five-hit shutout to lead her #4-seeded Norse to a 5-0 victory over #6 seed Iowa Western Community College in the consolation bracket at the 2013 NJCAA Division I Women’s Softball National Championship tournament Thursday night at the Canyons Complex. NEO (44-10) will advance to face top-seed Butler (KS) CC in another elimination game Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. (MDT). Meanwhile Iowa Western (42-14) sees its 2013 tournament run and season end with the loss.
Davis retired 12 of the first 14 Reiver hitters she face, while the Norse offense provided her with all the runs she would need with a four-run outburst in the third inning, highlighted by a two-run triple legged out by infielder Maddie Stevenson. NEO lead-off hitter Lexie LeValley collected three of the her team’s 12 hits overall, while Stevenson finished with two safeties.
IWCC hitter Rebekah Sanchez was the only Reiver hitter to solve Davis on the night as she went 3-for-3 with a double. Ashley Schmidt lasted six innings and struck out three in a losing effort.