Box Score BENTONVILLE, Ark. – No. 3 Southeastern used a five-run third inning to take an early lead en route to an 8-0 run-rule victory in six innings over Henderson State, earning a trip to Sunday's championship game.
The Savage Storm improve to 43-7 on the season and will now wait to learn its opponent for the title game on Sunday at 2 p.m.
McElroy picked up her second shutout of the season after tossing six innings and scattering six hits over six innings without allowing a run and striking out two. She moved to 21-2 on the year.
At the plate,
Lacie Cook and
Mindy McElroy posted three-hit outings, while
Courtney Moore and
Whitney Hamilton added two-hit days.
Moore posted three RBI, while Hamilton and Renneker each added two.
The teams were quiet offensively through the first two innings, but the Storm picked up the pace in the bottom of the third inning, starting with a
Paige Priest single to open the inning.
She would move to second on a
Jessica Simmons sac bunt and then on to third on a
Lacie Cook single to left.
Courtney Riddle would follow up by getting hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Courtney Moore would take advantage with a two–run single that scored Priest and Riddle.
Whitney Hamilton would add a two-run double one batter later that scored Riddle and a pinch-running
Shayna Milam for a 4-0 lead.
Hamilton would move to third on a
Mindy McElroy single and score one batter later on a
Lauren Renneker sacrifice fly to take a 5-0 lead.
Moore pushed the lead to 6-0 with an RBI single that plated Cook in the bottom of the fourth inning.
McElroy then opened the fifth inning with a double and scored one batter later on a Renneker single up the middle to take a 7-0 lead.
In the sixth, Moore would reach on a fielder's choice and move to second on a McElroy single with two outs.
Renneker would then get hit by a pitch to load the bases and
Darrian Williams would drive in the final run with a single through the left side to plate Moore.
