Saints Defeat Freedom to Move into WMS Final

Sunday, August 1, Game 13 - The St. Louis Saints edged the New York Freedom, 4-3, on Sunday morning at Biondi Field to advance to the WMS Championship Game. Zoe Sinner hit a game-tying homer in the fourth, and Ashley Hall singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth to clinch a spot against the Brakettes in Sunday’s 12 noon final.

St. Louis got on top early with a first-inning score off Freedom starter Amanda Havdoglous. Hall led off the bottom of the first with a single and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Chelsey Carmody. Hall raced home as Colleen Dailey reached on an error by the third baseman, putting the Saints on top 1-0.

Amanda Clack started off the second with a double, and moved to third on a grounder to the right side by Jen Stahlhut. Mariclaire Rebman put down a suicide squeeze to score Clack from third for the second run, but the Saints’ lead was short-lived.

With one out in the top of the third inning, Kristin Havdoglous reached on a single. Bree Nasti walked to put runners on first and second. Freedom catcher Nicki Massoni followed with a huge three-run home run off Clack to give New York a 3-2 advantage.

The Saints tied it up in the fourth inning on Sinner’s leadoff long ball at 3-3, a score that would stand until the home sixth.

Jen Stahlhut was hit by a pitch with one out in the frame, and was then moved to third on a sac bunt by Rebman. Courtney Kennedy reached on a single to load the bases, bringing the Saints’ table-setter to the plate. Hall delivered the go-ahead run with a single to plate Stahlhut, putting St. Louis up 4-3.

Amanda Zust, who had entered the game in relief in the fourth inning, struck out two batters in the seventh to preserve the victory for the Saints.

The Saints moved into their first WMS Championship Game with the win, taking on the Stratford Brakettes at 12 noon, Sunday, in a game that immediately followed the win over the Freedom.

Bree Nasti (outfield) and Nicki Massoni (catcher) were tabbed to the 2010 WMS All-Tournament squad, while Massoni took home the Pat Dufficy Home Run Champion trophy with two homers in bracket play.

	1	2	3		4	5	6		7			R	H	E
NY FREEDOM	0	0	3		0	0	0		0			3	6	1
ST. LOUIS SAINTS	1	1	0		1	0	1		x			4	7	2
Batteries: Freedom- Amanda Havdoglous (L) and Nicki Massoni; Saints- Amanda Clack, Amanda Zust (4, W) and Colleen Dailey, Brittany Fisher (5) Highlights: Freedom- Nicki Massoni (3-run HR); Saints- Ashley Hall (2-for-3), Amanda Clack (2-for-3), Zoe Sinner (HR) Homeruns: Freedom- Nicki Massoni (2); Saints- Zoe Sinner (1)

Back