Friday NCAA Softball: Toms win 4-1

W, 4-1
Simpson-NCAA Playoffs, May 09, 2008

Morgan Betker's two-run homer put the Tommies ahead to stay and Maria Bye allowed three hits and no earned runs as No. 3-ranked St. Thomas scored a 4-1 victory over Simpson (Iowa) in Friday's NCAA regional softball game in Eau Claire, Wis.

The Tommies (42-3) outhit the Storm 6-3 and advanced to Saturday's 2 p.m. winners' bracket game vs. the Oshkosh-Eau Claire victor.

Simpson used an error to help put together a first-inning rally. A two-out single put the Storm ahead 1-0 but Colleen Owen's relay throw to home cut down another potential run.

UST trailed 1-0 in the third with two out when Bye doubled and Betker hit her second home run in as many days. The Toms added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.

Bye (86-8) walked four and struck out two. She tied Janet Nagle's MIAC career strikeout record at 796 and improved her career postseason record to 11-3.

Betker and Grahan each walked twice, and six Toms had one hit.

Click here for UST-Simpson box score:

http://www.uwec.edu/athletics/soft/0708/ncaa/schedule.htm