LONE STAR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
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LONE STAR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

  • 04 May 2007
  • 2 min read

            IRVING, Texas - The 18th ranked Midwestern State University Mustangs closed out a perfect Lone Star Conference Tournament in style with a 4-3 victory over the University of Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon to win the 2007 Lone Star Conference Championship.

            For MSU (43-14) it was the second straight LSC title.  The Mustangs earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament that begins Thursday with the South Central Regional in San Angelo.

            But the Bronchos (29-16) nearly upset the coronation for MSU.

            Midwestern State jumped out to an early lead in the second inning on an Ashley Kuchenski RBI single, then extended it to 3-0 in the third inning on Tara Staten's two RBI single.

            Catcher Lindsey Voigt appeared to put the game out of reach in the MSU fifth with her eighth home run of the season, belting a Hillary Brandt pitch over the left field fence to grab a 4-0 advantage.

            Kuchenski had five outstanding innings on the mound, but ran into trouble in the UCO sixth.  After committing an error that allowed one runner to reach, UCO's Alley Roberts singled up the middle for the third hit of the day for the Bronchos to place two aboard.

            Then with two out, UCO's Jodi Craig belted a Kuchenski pitch to left that pulled the Bronchos within a run at 4-3.

            Still Kuchenski left after the sixth allowing just four hits, with two strikeouts.

            In the bottom of the seven, MSU sent Katie Petersen to the mound for her third save of the season and the LSC title.

            The Mustangs got a 2-for-4 game from Cheyanne Paschal and Voigt was 2-for-3 at the dish as well.

            Voigt was named the tournament's most valuable player after hitting .583 for the classic with seven hits and three RBI.  Paschal, Petersen and Kristen Stoneciper were also named to the All-Tournament team for MSU.

            Pascal hit .500 for the tournament, while Stonecipher hit .417 over the four games with three RBI.

            Petersen was phenomenal as well for MSU, winning three of the four tournament games and getting a save in the championship contest.  Petersen struck out 12 in the four games.

            MSU now awaits the NCAA Division II Softball Committee's announcement of the tournament bracket late Sunday night.

+++ MSU +++