CASTLETON, Vt. - Johnson State could not quite figure out Castleton State's Taylor Lively in the quarterfinals of the North Atlantic Conference playoffs on Tuesday as the #7 Badgers fell to the #2 Spartans 3-0. Lively, a junior pitcher, struckout 14, did not walk a batter, and scattered five hits to lead Castleton to the NAC Final Four this weekend. Johnson's season ends at 9-25-1 while the Spartans improve to 21-14.
Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) (pictured) kept the Badgers close pitching six innings allowing just six hits, two earned runs, and two walks while striking out four.
All five of the Badgers hits were singles and all by different players.
Russ matched Lively over the first three innings not allowing a run and only one baserunner as far as third base.
In the top of the third Lively hit Madeline Pritchard (North Clarendon, Vt./Mill River) to give the Badgers their second baserunner of the day. Successful consecutive sacrifice bunts pushed Pritchard to third with two outs. Lively was able to end the inning with one of her 14 K's getting Maria Gleason (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg) swinging.
Castleton's Chelsea Crehan would lead off the bottom of the third inning with a triple but Russ would dig in and get a strikeout, an infield pop up, and fly out to keep the game scoreless.
The Spartans would break through in the bottom of the fourth when a leadoff single by Shannon Jipner got things going. A third-to-second fielder's choice followed by a groundout to first gave the Spartans a runner in scoring position with two outs. A dropped fly ball would allow Mercedes Maltbie to come around and score the game's first run but Russ would end the inning with a strikeout.
After Lively struckout the side in the top of the fifth Castleton would strike for two more runs in the bottom of the frame when Caylee Fleury connected on a bloop double scoring Kristy Pinkham and Crehan. But Russ would wiggle out of the big inning retiring the three consecutive batters after loading the bases with no one out.
The Badgers were set up for their best chance to score in the top of the sixth when Amber McCullock (Morrisville, Vt./Peoples) leadoff with a single and then Gleason reached on a bunt single putting runners at first and second with no one out. But Lively would reach back and strikeout the next two batters and then induce a groundout to end the threat.
The Badgers end their season at 9-25-1 and bid farewell to one outstanding senior in infielder Morgan Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt./Hazen). Castleton moves on to face New England College who beat the University of Maine-Farmington 5-3 on Tuesday. The NAC double-elimination, four-team tournament will be hosted by Husson University in Bangor, Maine. The Eagles will face the winner of Thomas and Maine Maritime.