TUCSON, Ariz. – The final day of the leadoff classic provided the patrons with some exciting finishes and this year’s 2015 Division II Leadoff Champion St. Mary’s played a part in that. The Rattlers finished 6-0 after an dramatic comeback victory over Central Oklahoma, 10-9, in the championship game. The three-day tournament was contested at Lincoln Park and hosted by Tucson Invitational Games.

 

The 16^th-ranked Rattlers trailed 7-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, but thanks to a eight-spot St. Mary’s was able to grab a 10-7 advantage. The inning was highlighted by a two-run double by Hannah Michel followed by a two-run long ball of the bat of Taylor Vidrine. The Bronchos, who just scored five in the fifth, did not go down quietly. Following a leadoff double, Morgan Heard hit a two-run bomb, her second home run in as many at bats, to cut the lead to one. With two outs, a pair of walks put the tying and go-ahead runs on base but a line drive hit the runner advancing to second ended the contest and the Rattlers held on.

Vianna Gutierrez was named the tournament’s MVP. She had a tremendous tournament, and today helped St. Mary’s into the final with a great performance in the circle, holding the high-powered West Texas A&M offense to just two hits and a run in a 7-1 triumph.

Central Oklahoma reached the title clash in dramatic fashion. Heading into the seventh being retired 18 straight times after a leadoff walk in the first, the Bronchos did not panic. A leadoff free pass put the tying run on base. Following a strikeout, Brook Zukerman stepped up and launched a two-run home run for the only UCO hit of the game, but that was all that mattered. The Bronchos got out of a bases loaded no-out jam in the bottom half of the frame to upset the Red Storm. Aryn Feickert was the tough luck pitcher as she struck out 13 and allowed just the one hit and walked two. OCU’s Nicole Brady held a Dixie State offense (39 runs in first four games) to just a run, scattering nine hits and not walking a single batter.

In an all RMAC-final, Metro State defeated league foe Fort Lewis, 8-4 to claim the Silver Bracket title after defeating another conference foe, Regis, 9-8 in the semifinals. The Skyhawks reached the final by edging another league opponent, CSU-Pueblo, 4-3.

In a matchup of the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the country, No. 1 West Texas A&M topped No. 3 Dixie State, 5-4 in eight innings. A walk-off RBI double by Allie Smith capped off the two-run eighth.

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