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Box Score 3 Rocky Mount, N.C. - N.C. Wesleyan's softball season came to an end on Saturday with a 4-3 loss to Ferrum College at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex. The Bishops, who were the USA South's #3 seed in the tourney, finish the season with a 20-15 overall record. The 20 wins are the program's most since 2007.
Wesleyan had opened the tournament on Friday with an explosive 21-3 win over 6th-seeded Greensboro in five innings. Every Bishop starter notched at least two hits, including junior Lindsey Sharpe who finished 3-for-4 with a homerun, five RBIs, and three runs scored. Sophomore hurler Logan Lowery picked up the win in the circle.
The afternoon game saw the Bishops drop a tough 4-3 extra-inning decision to 2nd-seeded Maryville. Solo homeruns by Brittany Manning and Sarah Bowyer, as well as an RBI-double by Tiffany Manning, accounted for Wesleyan's three runs through seven. In the top of the eighth, MVC's Casey Joliff's solo blast to right-center put the Scots on top, and Joliff (7-1) went on to secure the win by shutting down Wesleyan in the bottom of the frame.
Senior Jasmine Edgren (2-3) took the loss in what would prove to be her final start on the mound, while offensively, Bowyer went 2-for-4 at the plate.
In Saturday's first elimination game, Wesleyan and 5th-seeded Ferrum went toe-to-toe for seven innings. After a single by Sharpe tied the score at 3-3 in the sixth, the Panthers managed to escape a bases loaded jam with one out to preserve the tie. In the bottom of the seventh, a costly fielding error by the Bishops placed the winning run at first, and two batters later, a walk-off double by FC's Lindsay Slover would end NCWC's season.
Lowery (13-5) took the loss, snapping her string of nine straight victories. Freshman Shelby Godwin tallied a pair hits to pace Wesleyan at the plate.
Saturday's game with Ferrum marked the end of Edgren's NCWC career. A First Team All-Conference performer this season, Edgren completed her Bishop tenure with a career-best .360 batting average this spring and 21 wins on the mound over four seasons.
