Courtesy Williams Sports Information

RALEIGH, N.C. - Saturday's elimination game of the 2006 NCAA Div. III Softball Championships against seventh-seed Linfield (Ore.) was a litany of walks, errors and missed scoring chances for the Ephs, who were ousted from the tournament with an 8-1 defeat.

"One of our goals was to peak at the World Series and I honestly don't think we did," said Eph senior Alana Frost. "That was reflective in our play today."

With the sting of elimination still fresh, it was difficult for many Ephs to look back at another very successful campaign on the diamond: A school-record 20-game win streak, a sixth straight NESCAC West Division title, a third straight NESCAC Tournament Championship, a second consecutive NCAA New England Regional championship and a second straight trip to these finals.

Not to mention only the second 30-win season in the program's history.

"As we were walking off, Clara's (Hard) mom said to us, 'four years ago you would have never envisioned being here,'" senior Laura Noel said. "That's so true. The way our program has evolved is unbelievable. I think the four seniors have really seen a tremendous transformation and I feel very lucky to have been a part of it."

The Ephs finished 30-10 with the loss to Linfield. The Wildcats improved to 36-10 on the season. The Ephs committed five errors in the loss, and their pitchers walked nine batters. Only three of Linfield's eight runs were earned.

"I was just very disappointed with the way we played. Period," said Ephs head coach Kris Herman. "Pitching, defense and hitting. We had some good hits, but we couldn't get a key hit when we needed it."

Linfield got on the board first in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Eph starter Margaret Ryan walked the 'Cats eight and nine batters. Linfield lead-off batter Stephanie Rice beat out a bunt hit to load the bases and when Ryan went to 2-1 on Lisa Smith, Herman brought in senior ace Clara Hard to pitch. Hard's first two pitches were balls to complete a walk to Smith and force in a run.

Linfield added two more runs in the third. After a lead-off walk to Amanda Attleberger, Stephanie Morgan lined a one-out RBI-doubled to center field. She moved to third on a wild pitch, and Hard then walked Amy Hammonds and Bethany Dobie to load the bases. That brought up Rice, who was hit with a pitch to force home the second run of the frame.

All total, Hard and Ryan combined to walk nine batters, the most in a single game this season for the Ephs. The previous high was seven in a loss to Pacific March 27.

"We did have some nice hits today," said Linfield coach Jackson Vaughn. "Our girls did a nice job of adjusting to the pitches that were strikes, but they certainly helped us out with the walks today."

Down 4-0, the Ephs pushed a run across in the fourth. Morgan Simpson led off with a pinch-hit single. After a strikeout, Emily Fowler-Cornfeld grounded a single to center. With two outs, Kristen Lemons dropped down a surprise bunt and reached on a wild throw to first that allowed Simpson to score. Linfield starter Kendra Strahm induced pinch-hitter Regine Lim to fly out to right to end the inning.

The Ephs reached Strahm for six hits in four innings, but has just the one unearned run. Linfield freshman Brittany Miller relieved Strahm for the final three frames and retired the first eight Ephs she faced. Joey Lye had a two-out single to center in the bottom of the seventh, but Noel flied out to left to end the game.

"I just think that even though we never gave up, that gut feeling that we were going to win wasn't there," said Hard. "We let some things get into our heads that we shouldn't have."

Noel was 2 for 4 in her final game. Lye, Frost, Simpson, Katelyn Knox and Fowler-Cornfeld had one hit each.