M&M's Meyer, Miller take center stage
as Saint Mary's wins tournament opener

SALEM, Va. — When it comes to the performance of Saint Mary's University's Jill Hocking this season, there aren't too many people around the Midwest who aren't well aware of the All-American-type season the Cardinal junior has had.

Wednesday evening at the NCAA National Championship banquet, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association made it official, Hocking was a first-team All-American — and the Cardinals' secret was out to the rest of the nation.

And Thursday evening in the opening-round of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship, Ithaca coach Deb Pallozzi certainly wasn't about to mess with the Cardinals' No. 1 offensive threat, intentionally walking Hocking twice — both times to load the bases with less than two outs.

Not a bad move, taking the bat out of the hands of one of the nation's hottest hitters. Unfortunately for Pallozzi, Hocking may be the hottest, but she isn't the Cardinals only offensive threat.

And the Bombers learned that first-hand as Jennifer Miller, batting from the No. 8 spot, went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, and scored twice in leading the Cardinals to a 5-1 victory over Ithaca at the Moyer Sports Complex.

"We were ready right from the get-go," said SMU coach John Tschida, whose team has now won four straight post-season games and earned a spot against the College of New Jersey in today's second-round. "We were hitting the heck out of the ball in batting practice before the game and I knew that if we could just keep that focus, we'd be fine.

"The key for us all season has been that we haven't had to have one or two players carry us," continued Tschida. "Like any team, the superstars are going to produce most of the team, but when they don't, it's important that people step up and take control."

Enter Miller and junior Jennifer Meyer.

The Cardinals' M&Ms (plain, not peanut) accounted for four of SMU's seven hits, including three of their four extra-base hits. Meyer laced a one-out double in the bottom of the first, while Miller drilled a lead-off double in the Cardinals' two-run fifth and a lead-off triple in their one-run sixth.

"Tschida's always said that if you are going to swing, swing hard," said Miller, who also made her presence known on the defensive end, throwing out Ithaca's Mairin Dudek trying to steal in the third inning. "I wanted to make sure to come out swinging, and (Ithaca pitcher Robin Bimson) gave me a couple of pitches I could drive."

Bimson's offerings were also to the liking of Meyer, who had just two hits in 11 at-bats as the Cardinals won their first-ever Midwest Regional title last week.

"I don't think I was pressing at all, I tried to make sure to stay relaxed and just play like I've been playing all year," said Meyer, a first-team All-Midwest Region selection. "We are playing with a lot of confidence right now, and we know that everyone has to be ready to come ready to play. Tonight, it was my turn."

Ithaca got on the board first, as Kim Sebastio laced a two-out, solo home run to center off SMU pitcher Teisha Smith in the top of the second inning.

That would be the only run — and one of just three hits — off the stingy Cardinal ace, who pitched her fourth straight complete post-season game.

"One bad pitch," Tschida said of the home run. "When she hit it out, I said, ‘whoops, wish I would have had time to scout them a little better.’ If I had, I sure wouldn't have given her that kind of pitch to hit."

Not that it mattered, Smith allowed just four base runners over the final five innings.

The Cardinals took the lead for good in the fourth, as Jackie Huegel tripled to score Angie Wright. Gina Rizzardi then singled in Huegel with the game winning run. SMU added two more runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to ice the win.

"It was a good start," said Meyer. "We weren't nervous at all. I think we learned a valuable lesson against Benedictine (in the opening round of the regional, where SMU committed six errors in a 5-4 win). We knew we just had to go out and play the way we are capable of playing."

"We learned a lot about ourselves last weekend, and our confidence is just getting stronger and stronger," said Tschida. "It's nice to get that first game (of the national tournament) under our belts, but we've still got a lot of work to do.

"We happy with the win, but we're far from finished."