College roundup: Cougars eliminated from NCAA tourney

EUGENE, Ore. — Junior Tori Almond struck out eight for the Cougars but No. 11 Oregon used a big inning to win 4-1, eliminating BYU from the NCAA tournament.

BYU finishes with a record of 45-15, tied for the second-most wins in program history, one shy of the 2010 team's 46 victories.

Pitching her second-straight complete game, Almond kept the Cougars in the game, but as was the case in the two teams' previous matchup on Friday, a single big inning for Oregon proved to be the difference.

With a runner on second and one out, Oregon's Allie Burger put down a bunt. Cougar first baseman Katie Manuma made a good throw to second baseman Stacie Toney covering the bag that looked like it was there well before the runner, but Burger was called safe.

Instead of the ensuing Duck batter's pop-up being the third out, the safe call at first gave Oregon star hitter Samantha Pappas a chance to hit and she delivered with a two-RBI double. One pitch later, two more runs came in on a home run to give the Ducks a 4-0 lead.

"The breaks just didn't go our way, and when they went Oregon's way they took advantage," said BYU coach Gordon Eakin.

BYU scored its only run in the bottom of the fifth, with Jessica Dugas scoring from second base on an RBI single by JC Clayton.

Six different Cougars tallied a hit as BYU out-hit Oregon, 6-5.

Eugene Regional All-Tournament Team

C - Kaili Smith, Mississippi State

C - Shelbi Everett, BYU

1B - Karmen Holladay, Portland State

2B - Kaylan Howard, Oregon

3B - Ashlee Brawley, BYU

OF - Jessica Dugas, BYU

OF - Samantha Pappas, Oregon

OF - Janie Takeda, Oregon

UT/DP - Christie Nieto, Oregon

P - Jessica Moore*, Oregon

P - Tori Almond, BYU

*MVP

SLCC SOFTBALL: At St. George, Chattanooga State Community College forced the if necessary game for the NJCAA national championship with an 8-7 win over the Bruins and then won the title with a 4-1 victory.

All-tourney team

INFIELD — Lacye Walker, Chattanooga State Community College; Michal Robertson, Wallace State Community College; Alicia Eger, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Brooke Budge, Salt Lake Community College; OUTFIELD — Tanisha Anderson, Salt Lake Community College; Whitney Brown, Wallace State Community College; Andrea Dalton, Chattanooga State Community College; BATTERY — Ariel Zimmerman, Salt Lake Community College; Heather Parker, Wallace State Community College; Paige Mathews, State College of Florida; Paige Rowland, Wallace State Community College; UTILITY/DP — Beth Breeden, Chattanooga State Community College

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

Savanah Webster, Salt Lake Community College

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

Thomasina Garza, Blinn College

OUTSTANDING PITCHER OF THE TOURNAMENT

Ashlety Czechner, Chattanooga State Community College

KAREN L. SYKES OUTSTANDING COACH OF THE 2012 NJCAA TOURNAMENT

Beth Keylon-Randolph, Chattanooga State Community College

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER OF THE 2012 NJCAA TOURNAMENT