LSC Roundup 5-15

Angelo State baseball routed in regional opener
The No. 16-ranked Angelo State baseball team (43-19) surrendered nine runs through the first four innings in suffering the worst defeat in school history, 23-0, to No. 17-ranked Emporia State in the first game of the day Thursday at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional in Warrensburg, Mo.

The Hornets got all the runs they needed for starter Colby Killian in the first on a sacrifice fly by Kenny Burkhead, which scored Kevin Wempe to put ESU up 1-0. Emporia State made it 4-0 in the third on an RBI-single by Wempe and a two-run home run by Burkhead. ESU blew the game open with five runs in the fourth and added to ASU’s misery with three runs in the fifth and sixth innings and four runs in the seventh and eight.

ACU stumbles late in defeat
There was good news for Abilene Christian on Thursday.

> The Wildcats did not lose as badly as Lone Star Conference rival Angelo State.

> The South Central Regional tournament is double elimination.

ACU led 3-0 going into the seventh inning, when Nebraska-Omaha scored five runs on its way to a 5-4 first-round victory over the Wildcats at Crane Stadium in Warrensburg, Mo.

In another first-round game, Emporia State hammered Angelo State, 23-0.

NFCA Announces 2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Region Teams
First Team honorees are eligble for All-American honors

South Central Region
First Team
P - Marjorie Johnson - Southeastern Oklahoma State
C - Jessica Shirey - Abilene Christian
1B - Sandy James - Angelo State
2B - Alix Dean - Angelo State
SS - Macy Baker - Angelo State
OF - Cassie Anderson - Texas A&M-Kingsville
OF - Kasey Henderson - West Texas A&M
DP - Brittnee Rice - Tarleton State

Second Team
P - Chelsea Nelson - Angelo State
C - Laura Lopez - Angelo State
2B - Kristina Myles - West Texas A&M
SS - Bailey Matthes - Southeastern Oklahoma State
OF - Erika Bernal - Southeastern Oklahoma State

Double trouble: ASU softball's chances rest with superb pitching duo
The previous two times the Angelo State University softball team advanced to the Division II World Series, the Rambelles did so with a pair of aces in the circle.

In 2007, when the Rambelles finished fifth at the World Series, they got there with pitchers Kari Galm and Brittany Cargill. In 2004, when they won the national championship, they rode the arms of Claudia Lopez and Arin Spence to the title.

If ASU gets past Southeastern Oklahoma this weekend and advances to its third World Series in six seasons, the Rambelles will again do it with a pair of pitchers who have dominated their competition this season.

Juniors Chelsea Nelson and April Haywood have combined to win 45 games for the Rambelles this season. Nelson is 28-4 with a 2.53 ERA, while Haywood is 17-4 with a 3.08 ERA. They have combined to strike out 287 batters in 357 innings.

One of — if not the — best 1-2 punches in the conference has worked all season for ASU.

“It seems to be working pretty good,” Nelson said. “We have gotten used to it now. We are real supportive of each other. We are not going to get mad at each other or get down on each other. There are going to be tough times in any game, no matter where you are or who you are playing. We support each other and that is what is good about having two pitchers. You can help each other out so it has been working good.”

ACU leads match delayed by rain
Abilene Christian swept three doubles matches but rain forced the Wildcats' quarterfinal match against Concordia, N.Y., at the NCAA Division II tennis tournament in Altamonte Springs, Fla., to be moved back to today.

The match is scheduled to resume at 8 a.m.

"We're in real good shape, but I wish we could've finished," ACU coach Hutton Jones Sr. said. "We're two sets away."

ACU won in a rout at No. 1 doubles, with Irene Squillaci-Jaclyn Walker blanking Somadi Druker-Celise Sesanker, 8-0.

"We haven't won many that easily," Jones said. "Irene and Jaclyn are one of the top teams in the nation. I think they're ranked No. 10 but they beat BYU-Hawaii's team. They were doing everything right and, I hate to say this, but I think Concordia was intimidated. We jumped on them.