Postgame Press Conferences

SAVANNAH, Ga. | Chandler Stooksbury's single in the top of the seventh gave the Young Harris College softball team a 2-1 upset victory over Armstrong State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Thursday (May 11) afternoon at the Armstrong Softball Field,

The No. 6-seeded Mountain Lions recorded their first NCAA postseason win in the program's history as they improved to 43-12, while the No. 3-seed Pirates fell to 30-12. Young Harris will face No. 7 Pfeiffer University, which defeated No. 7 Carson-Newman University 7-4 in nine innings in the other first round game, in an 11 a.m. winner's bracket game Friday (May 12). Armstrong State, which had beaten the Mountain Lions twice during the regular season, will face XXXXX in a 1:30 p.m. elimination game in the double-elimination tournament.

Armstrong State had chances to score in the second and third innings against YHC starter Nikkie Kovalsky (24-7). The Pirates loaded the bases in both innings, but only scored one run on a single through the left side in the third inning by Macy Coleman. 

Young Harris didn't muster a hit off Armstrong State starter Jane Trzaska (14-7) until the sixth when Jeanie Perrucci reached on a one-out infield single. After Biz Walters reached on a fielder's choice, Jill Torres smacked an 0-2 pitch for a double to right-center field that scored Walters all the way from first base to tie the game at 1.

After Kovalsky retired the Pirates in order in the bottom of the inning, the Mountain Lions took the lead in their next at-bat. Grace Botti and Kelsey Kix started the rally with back-to-back walks and Georgia Webb followed with a single up the middle to load the bases and chase Trzaska, who issued five walks, from the game. Stooksbury greeted reliever Tori Bates with an RBI single to left that scored pinch runner Rachel Benson to give the Mountain Lions a 2-1 lead.

Bates was able to wiggle out of further damage in the inning, but Kovalsky, who only allowed three hits in the complete-game effort, worked around a two-out double from Katie Collins to pitch a scoreless seventh to preserve the win for the Mountain Lions.