May 22, 2006

DECATUR, Ala. -  Sarah Sherman became the hero of the day at the 2006 NAIA Softball National Championship as she sailed a homerun over the left field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning to give No. 2 California Baptist University a 1-0 victory against the #3 seed Oklahoma City University in first round action of bracket play in day three of the tournament at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex.

Sherman, the designated hitter for the Lancers, was 1-for-4 on the day with the only run scored in the contest, while hitting her first homerun of the season.  Candice Thomas improved her record on the season to 34-2 with eight innings pitched and four strikeouts.

In the top of the eighth inning with one out, Brittani Ellis and Ursula Lundberg had consecutive singles to left center field, followed by a base on balls issued to Rachel Cope by California Baptist's Thomas.  OCU failed to score in the inning when Lacey Neuman lined out to Thomas, and Kate Beasley popped up in foul territory for the final out of the inning.

Offensively, the Stars of Oklahoma City scattered four hits among four players while Dasha Shembereva suffered the loss to drop her record to 46-6 on the season.

California Baptist advances in the winner's bracket to play the University of Mobile (Ala.) (47-2) at 2:00 p.m. today.  Oklahoma City falls into the loser's bracket and will face Simon Fraser University (B.C.) (31-5) also at 2:00 p.m. today.