Springfield Eagles sweep USCAA Tourney to capture 2nd National Title!

Akron, OH - Ashley Matheson's sharp single through a drawn-in infield scored Brittany Oakes in the bottom of the seventh inning on Monday, May 10, 2010, to give the Robert Morris-Springfield Softball team a 2-1 victory over St. Mary-of-the-Woods (IN) and a 2-0 sweep of their best-of-three United States Collegiate Athletic Association championship series.

It was the fifteenth consecutive win for the Springfield Lady Eagles, who held the USCAA top-ranking throughout the season and finished a program best 38-12.

The Springfield Lady Eagles claimed their second national title in four years.

"Coaches talk all the time about having their team peak at the right time," Robert Morris Coach Ron Ferrill, "But our young women really did come together and play their best softball over the last two weeks."

This championship washed way the bitter taste of back-to-back national runner-up finishes, including one that was a declared finish when weather made completion of the tournament impossible.

Coach Ferrill's squad swept through the tournament, winning all five games they played.  They opened the tournament with a 4-2 win over Penn State-Beaver.  After falling behind 2-0 early, Springfield battled back with four unanswered tallies highlighted by a homer from Megan Green (DuQuoin, IL).  Allie Neff (Decatur, IL) battled for the win, allowing one earned run in six innings and striking out four.

In Game Two versus Briarcliffe College, pitcher Sara Gibson (Argyle, IA) delivered a no-hitter through five innings for the Springfield Lady Eagles, aided by fantastic team defense.  She struck out seven. Allie Neff helped her at the plate, going 2-3 with an RBI.  Brittany Oakes (Tolono, IL) added a double and an RBI.

Springfield faced a rematch with Briarcliffe and they settled the issue with five runs in first inning, then pulling away for an 11-4 victory to advance to the tournament Championship Series.  Third sacker Shannon Settles (Jerseyville, IL) was the key for the Lady Eagles, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.  Ashley Matheson (Bethany, IL) was 3-4 with two RBI's, and Brittany Oakes added a two-run homer. 

The Lady Eagles won the first game of the best-of-three series with St. Mary 1-0 on a combined no-hitter from Neff and Gibson.  Settles provided the only run they would need in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly, driving in Gibson.

Brittany Oakes (pictured at left) was named Tournament MVP award.  "Really, start to finish, she was our best player," Coach Ferrill said. "She hit two home runs in the tournament, but more importantly she had two diving catches on defense, one that saved game today."

Shannon Settles and Sarah Gibson were named to the All-Tournament team.
They joined Allie Neff on the USCAA first-team All-Americans. It's the third straight selection for Neff.