Top seeds advance to final rounds of NAC Tournament

Courtesy of Alverno College, Sports Information Department
MILWAUKEE -- After a pair of upsets on day one, day two of the 2011 Northern Athletics Conference Softball Tournament was all favorites as the top three seeds are all that remain in the six-team double-elimination event at Alverno Field. Top-seeded Benedictine (35-6) came away with the first victory of the day, but things looked dire for the Eagles as they trailed 2-1 heading into the last half inning. Lakeland reliever Erin Henk had scatted five hits over her first six innings of work, but three Muskie errors in the last inning -- including two on the final play of the game -- led to the 3-2 loss for the fifth-seeded Muskies (15-26).

No. 2 Aurora (32-9) trailed to No. 6 Concordia Chicago (16-22) 2-1 after the first inning, but a three-run second inning by the Spartans would be all the difference in the 4-2 victory. The Spartans' catcher Tristan Wilcox cleared the bases on a three-RBI double and went 2-of-4 on the day to help her team advance.

Benedictine and Aurora will square off in Saturday's 9 a.m. game, with the winner advancing to the championship game at 1 p.m.

Concordia Chicago dropped their second game of the day, 1-0 to No. 4 Dominican, which bounced the Cougars from the tourney. The Stars' (24-15) Emily Mahoney would get the victory in the pitchers' duel as she fanned eight batters, allowed just four hits and walked just one for the complete-game shutout.

The offense in the second elimination game of the day more than made up for the previous game, as No. 3 Concordia Wisconsin (32-9) and Lakeland would combine for 21 hits and 27 runs in the 17-10 CUW victory, which knocked the Muskies from the tournament. The Falcons' Cara Landherr batted a perfect 3-for-3 and hit two home runs for eight RBIs and three runs in the game.

In the final game of the day, Concordia Wisconsin scored six runs in their final four innings for the 6-3 victory that sent Dominican home. Landherr again would lead the Falcon offense with two RBIs on 2-of-3 hitting. Danielle Burke gave up just two runs in 5 2/3 innings pitched for her 14th victory of the season, while Jamie Schuh recorded her first save of the season.

The Falcons will meet the loser from tomorrow's first game at 11 a.m., followed by the 1 p.m. championship and a possible second championship game at 3 p.m.