Eagles Drop Pool Play Opener

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Asbury dropped their opening pool play game in the 2011 NAIA Softball National Championship, 9-0 against No. 4 California State University-San Marcos on Thursday.  The Eagles were limited to only one hit in the game.

Asbury (20-11) will play Bethel (Ind.) College on Friday at 3:00 pm eastern and CSUSM (41-9) will face Morningside at 10:00 am eastern.  Bethel beat Morningside today 10-0 in the other Pool D game.

Miranda Drury had the lone hit for the Eagles on Thursday, a single in the first inning to center field.  Asbury would threaten in the first after lead-off batter Sarah Patrick was hit on the hand and an out later Drury singled moving the runner to second.  But Cougars pitcher Brenna Sandberg would strike out Emily Ethington and Jessica Johnson to end the inning.  Sandberg (37-8) finished with 13 strikeouts in the complete game shutout.

The Cougars scored twice in the top of the first as Alyssa Dronenburg singled in a run and later scored on a throwing error by pitcher Maris Harreld.  CSUSM would add two more off of Harreld (11-6) in the third before she was lifted for Kelsey Robinson.  Robinson would allow five runs, but only three earned in her two innings of work.  Jessica Johnson allowed only one hit as she got the final two outs of the game.