The inability to close out innings late in games proved costly to the Rochester Community and Technical College team during the NJCAA Division III National Championship.
RCTC placed sixth in the eight-team event in Rochester after losing two games on Friday. The Yellowjackets lost 4-1 to Monroe Community College in an elimination game and then 8-5 to Rock Valley in the fifth-place game.
The Yellowjackets were 1-3 in the tournament despite holding leads in each game. They lost a 6-1 lead in an 11-7 setback to Brookdale on Thursday, had a brief 1-0 lead against Monroe and then led 4-0 against Rock Valley after one inning.
Monroe right-hander Bri Allen tossed a three-hitter against RCTC and allowed just an unearned run in the first inning.
"She's a good pitcher," Monroe coach Robb DiGiacomo said of Allen. "I think she's the best one here."
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"She had a lot of movement," RCTC first baseman Anna Ramboldt said of Allen. "The hits we hit were hit pretty good."
Yellowjackets coach Jean Musgjerd agreed.
"She was pretty tough, but we had some chances in that game," the coach said.
Nikki Kraft had a pair of hits for Monroe and broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single during a three-run fifth inning for Monroe.
"The first game, I moved it (the ball) around a lot," RCTC pitcher DeAnna Mock said. "The second game, I didn't move it around as much."
Mock, pitching with a sore shoulder and elbow, might have wore down a bit against Rock Valley. She was pitching her fourth game in two days and the Monroe and Rock Valley games were back-to-back.
"I think Dee's arm was a little tired," Musgjerd said.
It didn't look like that would be a factor as the Yellowjackets scored four times in the first inning against Rock Valley. Ramboldt hit a two-run triple, Kelly Shaner hit an RBI single and Erin Hain also drove in a run with an infield single.
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But RCTC would get just two hits the rest of the way, Shaner's double in the second followed by Halie Damon's RBI single.
"We just didn't come through with some hits when we needed to," Musgjerd said.
And Rock Valley started to hit the ball, chipping away at the lead with four runs over the second, third and fourth innings to pull within 5-4.
"Of course it's frustrating, but they were hitting everything," Mock said.
"Give Rock Valley credit, they could have laid down," Musgjerd added.
Then in the sixth, Rock Valley rallied to score four runs, just one earned, on four hits and two RCTC errors.
"I think some errors could have been avoided," Ramboldt said, "but that comes with the game."
With the two losses Friday, RCTC finishes 33-15 overall. The national tournament concludes today at the McQuillan Softball Complex. The title game is 2 p.m. with another game at 4 p.m., if needed.
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Monroe 4, RCTC 1
RCTC 100 000 0 — 1 3 2
Monroe 100 030 x — 4 8 1
RCTC: Amelia Jajowka 1-for-3; Anna Ramboldt 1-for-3, 1 R; Rachel Lyke 1-for-3. LP: DeAnna Mock 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.
Monroe: Jessia Stahl 2-for-3,1 R; Samantha Dissinger 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B; Nikki Kraft 2-for-3, 1 RBI. WP: Bri Allen 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K.
Rock Valley 8, RCTC 5
Rock Valley 012 100 4 — 8 13 3
RCTC 410 000 0 — 5 6 3
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Rock Valley: Katie Spaniol 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI; Shawna Nelson 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 3B; Brittany Deny 2-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 3B; Brandi Anderson 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Whitney Jones 4-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B; Kelsey Scarpetta 2 RBIs. WP: Scarpetta 7 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K.
RCTC: Caitlin Donahoe 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B; Amelia Jajowka 1 R; Anna Ramboldt 1-for-4,1 R, 2 RBIs, 1 3B; Kelly Shaner 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B; Halie Damon 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI; Erin Hain 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB. LP: DeAnna Mock 7 IP, 13 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.
