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UM-Dearborn Box Score | Concordia Box Score | Final Play Highlights
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - Karlee Despres and Sam Cole were dominate on the mound on the first day of the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday and DU finished the day with a flair for the dramatics to advance to tomorrow's winner's bracket final. The Lady Panthers defeated UM-Dearborn 4-1 before outlasting Concordia 1-0. DU will meet Madonna at 1:00pm on Friday.
Pitchers Karlee Despres and Sam Cole combined for 14 IP, 20 strikeouts and only one run as DU used a pair of wins on the opening day of the WHAC Tournament to advance to tomorrow's winner's bracket final vs. the Crusaders.
In game one, senior Karlee Despres mowed down 10 Wolves while going 6.2 in earning her 12th win of the season. Offensively, DU was unable to really get the bats going but used some timely hits and good base-running to post four runs. Debra Burton went 3-3 for the game that included a pair of doubles, one run and one RBI and it was her run that gave DU an early 1-0 lead in the third on a sac-fly by Amber Getty.
Also chipping in for DU on the offensive side were Despres with a pair of hits and a run scored and Liz Veltman with two hits and an RBI as Sam Cole came in to pick up her second save of the season to post the 4-1 win.
Game two was much tighter but Davenport had WHAC Pitcher of the Year Sam Cole on the mound and the junior was outstanding striking out six of the first nine batters she faced in route to nine on the day.
Davenport was able to get runners on base and in scoring position on many occasion against a Cardinals team that they split with just a week ago. DU left the bases loaded twice and nine runners for the game but it was an RBI single in the fifth from Liz Veltman that got the Panthers on the board.
After Amber Getty led the inning off with a double and stole second on the next play, DU put runners on first and third with a free pass dealt to Katie Cornman. Veltman stepped up with a huge two-out single to score Getty for the lead.
Taking a 1-0 lead to the bottom of the seventh inning, Sam Cole made quick work of the first two Cardinals batter but the final out came difficult. The next CUAA batter doubled to left center and she was followed by a single to right in which Concordia sent the runner from second but Katie Cornman threw her out at home with Deb Burton making the tag in plenty of time.
Davenport will face Madonna (whom they shared the regular season crown with) at 1:00pm on Friday. The winner will advance to the championship game to be played at 7:00pm and will have to be defeated twice in the double-elimination tournament.
