2005 Game Recaps

May 12, Tiffin (NAIA Region IX Tournament)
Tiffin eliminated Cedarville from the NAIA Region IX Tournament with a 4-1 decision. The AMC North Division champion Dragons broke a scoreless tie with a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 4th inning. CU averted the shutout when Ginger Keithley beat out an infield single with two out in the 7th which allowed Jessica Honeycutt to score. Whitney Kirby recorded two of the team’s eight hits. [BOXSCORE]

May 12, Urbana (NAIA Region IX Tournament)
The Lady Jackets never trailed in taking out Urbana, 7-3, at the NAIA Region IX Tournament. Ginger Keithley opened the game with a double and later scored to send CU on its way. Whitney Kirby had three hits and two runs batted in, Jackie Greetham added two hits and two runs scored, and Aubree Munson tripled in two runs. Winning pitcher Natalie Fox registered her 16th victory of the season and the 56th of her career. [BOXSCORE]

May 11, Mountain State (NAIA Region IX Tournament)
Jackie Greetham had three hits and Aubree Munson drilled a two-run homer to lead Cedarville to a 7-4 victory over Mountain State in a losers’ bracket game at the NAIA Region IX Tournament. CU appeared to be in trouble against the Lady Cougars after giving up three unearned runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to trail, 4-2. However, the Jackets loaded the bases with two outs in the 6th and got a two-run single from Natalie Fox to tie it which was followed by an RBI single from Courtney Thayer to take the lead for good. Aubree Munson smacked her homer in the 7th to provide some breathing room for Fox, who came on in relief to pick up her 15th pitching victory of the season. Fox, Thayer, Ginger Keithley, and Jessica Honeycutt tallied two hits each. [BOXSCORE]

May 11, at Ohio Dominican (NAIA Region IX Tournament)
Host and NAIA No. 17 Ohio Dominican rallied to beat the Lady Jackets, 4-2, in the first game of the NAIA Region IX Tournament. Cedarville had the Panthers on the ropes taking a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th inning. ODU used two triples with a walk sandwiched in between to take the lead and then used a suicide squeeze to make it a 4-2 margin. Five of Ohio Dominican’s six hits went for extra bases. Jackie Greetham had two of Cedarville’s three hits while Ginger Keithley had the other. [BOXSCORE]

May 5, SETON HILL (AMC Tournament Qualifier)
Jackie Greetham went 5-for-6 at the plate, and Natalie Fox and Allie Smith each tossed complete games, to lead Cedarville over Seton Hill, 2-0 and 4-1, to win their AMC Tournament Qualifier series. The Jackets advance to the NAIA Region IX Tournament on May 11-14. CU broke a scoreless tie in the 5th inning of the first game. Aubree Munson delivered a one-out single up the middle and then scored one out later when older sister Tara Munson tripled over the center fielder’s head. The Jackets added an insurance run with two outs in the 6th when Greetham beat out a bunt single and then circled the bases to score when the Griffins’ catcher sailed the throw all the way into the right field corner. Winning pitcher Natalie Fox, 14-7, allowed just four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Greetham finished 2-for-3 and Courtney Thayer added a double. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] In game two, Seton Hill plated an unearned run in the 1st inning and the 1-0 lead held up until the 5th inning. Greetham beat out a bunt for a single and Allie Smith reached base safely when the Griffins committed an error on her sacrifice bunt. Courtney Brott’s sacrifice fly to center field tied the game and Fox came through with a two-out, two-run single to left to give CU a 3-1 advantage. Greetham, who was 3-for-3 in the contest, scored on a wild pitch in the 6th. Ginger Keithley was 2-for-3 at the plate. Smith upped her pitching record to 9-5 after fanning 10 batters and walking two. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 28, Bethel (NCCAA National Tournament)
No. 6 seed Bethel eliminated No. 2 Cedarville from the NCCAA National Tournament by a 5-2 score. The Jackets battled back from a 2-0 deficit to knot the score at 2-2 after five innings. However, the Pilots answered with two runs in the 6th and another in the 7th to win it. Cedarville produced five hits including a triple off of the bat of Kailin Acheson. Losing pitcher Allie Smith, 8-5, struck out five, walked one, and allowed just two earned runs. [BOXSCORE]

April 28, Chowan (NCCAA National Tournament)
No. 2 seed Cedarville dropped its first game of the NCCAA National Tournament to No. 7 Chowan, 3-0. CU’s offense consisted of seven singles from seven different players to outhit the Braves, 7-5, but they couldn’t dent the plate. Chowan pushed across two runs in the 2nd inning and another in the 5th to account for the final. [BOXSCORE]

April 27, OHIO DOMINICAN
NAIA No. 20 Ohio Dominican took control early in both games to sweep an AMC South Division doubleheader from the host Lady Jackets, 8-0 and 7-3. The Panthers clinched the division title, but Cedarville also locked down sole possession of 2nd place to earn an AMC Tournament Qualifier Best-of-3 series at home next week. ODU scored three times after two were out in the 1st inning of the opener thanks to a wind-blown double which plated two runs and an RBI single. CU had just four singles in the game. The Jackets best scoring chance came in the 2nd when they had runners at second and third with one out. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] It was much of the same in game two when the Panthers pushed three runs across in the 1st inning. CU got a run in the 3rd off of an RBI single by Natalie Fox. The deficit swelled to 7-1 before the Jackets added two scores in the 6th when Tara Munson doubled in a run and later scored on Kailin Acheson’s base hit. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 22, Concordia MI (NCCAA Midwest Regional)
Cedarville edged Concordia, 6-4 in eight innings, in the consolation bracket of the NCCAA Midwest Regional. Concordia plated two runs in the bottom of the 1st inning to take the early lead. After CU rallied for a 4-2 advantage, the Cardinals tied it with two runs in the 6th. Ginger Keithley scored the game winner in the 8th inning on a wild pitch. Whitney Kirby led the Lady Jackets’ 17-hit attack by going 5-for-5 at the plate with a double, triple, three RBI’s, and two runs scored. Courtney Thayer was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored; Keithley was 3-for-5 with a triple; and Kailin Acheson and Allie Smith added two hits each. [BOXSCORE]

April 22, at Spring Arbor (NCCAA Midwest Regional)
The Lady Jackets dropped a 6-4 decision to host Spring Arbor in the first round of the NCCAA Midwest Regional. Cedarville, the home team versus the Cougars, rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead. Spring Arbor scored three times in the 5th inning to account for the final. Kailin Acheson was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI’s; Whitney Kirby was 2-for-3 with two RBI’s; and Courtney Thayer added two hits including a double with a run scored. [BOXSCORE]

April 18, FINDLAY
Courtney Brott drew a bases loaded walk with two out in the 8th inning to give the Lady Jackets a 2-1 victory and a sweep of their non-conference twinbill with Findlay. CU won the opener, 7-2, over the NCAA Division II Oilers. Cedarville, 8-0 at home this spring, started quickly in the opener by scoring four times on six hits in their first at bat. The Jackets scattered 14 hits total in the game led by Jackie Greetham’s 3-for-3 effort. Ginger Keithley had two hits and three runs scored. Winning pitcher Natalie Fox, who improved to 12-4 with her complete-game performance, helped herself by going 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI’s. Kailin Acheson and Erin DiMeolo added two hits each. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] Findlay manufactured a run in the 1st inning of the nightcap. It held up until Brott tripled and scored in the 5th inning to tie the game. It stayed that way until her walked forced home Whitney Kirby, who had two hits, with the game’s winning run. Keithley and Courtney Thayer also produced two hits each. Winning pitcher Allie Smith, 8-3, fanned six batters and walked one. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 16, MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE
Senior pitcher Natalie Fox recorded a win and a save, and classmate Ginger Keithley had four hits, as Cedarville came from behind twice to take an AMC South Division doubleheader from Mount Vernon Nazarene. The Lady Jackets won by scores of 5-3 and 2-1. CU never held the lead in the opener until scoring three times in the 6th inning to account for the final. Whitney Kirby drove in Tara Munson on a single with the first run while Aubree Munson’s RBI single scored Kirby for a 4-3 advantage. She later came across with an insurance run when Jackie Greetham beat out an infield single. Fox hurled a complete game with five strikeouts and no walks. Keithley was 3-for-4 at the plate, Tara Munson had three hits, and Kirby scored twice. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] The Jackets escaped with a win in game two after surrendering a run in the 1st inning. Cedarville, who managed just six singles total in the game, manufactured two runs in the 3rd. Fox squeezed home Aubree Munson and then Keithley beat a throw to the plate on the same play when Fox got in a run down between first and second base. MVNU had loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the 7th inning, but Fox relieved winning pitcher Allie Smith to retire the Cougars in order. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 12, at Tiffin
Defending AMC North Division champion Tiffin never trailed in sweeping a doubleheader from South Division member Cedarville. The host Dragons won by scores of 4-2 and 4-1. The Lady Jackets did not score until the 7th inning of each game. Tiffin plated an unearned run in the 1st inning of the opener to grab the early momentum on a day when the temperature hovered around 40 degrees with wind. It was 4-0 before CU crossed the plate in its final at bat on a double by Courtney Thayer that scored Jessica Honeycutt. Thayer later came across on a fielder’s choice by Kailin Acheson. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] Three of Tiffin’s four runs in the nightcap were unearned thanks to four Cedarville errors. The Lady Jackets were nearly shutout for the just the second time this season until Tara Munson scored on Ginger Keithley’s two-out single in the 7th inning. Honeycutt was 2-for-3 at the plate for the game. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 9, SETON HILL
The Lady Jackets took both games of a doubleheader from fellow American Mideast Conference member Seton Hill by identical 9-1 scores. Cedarville, who participates in the AMC South Division, has won nine of its last 10 games while the Griffins compete in the AMC North. Ginger Keithley went 4-for-4 at the plate in the opener while winning pitcher Natalie Fox, 10-3, picked up the 50th victory of her career. Courtney Thayer slugged a pair of doubles with an RBI and Kailin Acheson recorded a two-run single with two runs scored. The game was halted in the 5th inning due to the 8-run mercy rule. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] Whitney Kirby hammered a double, a triple, and drove in three runs in the second game which was also stopped in the 5th inning. Keithley was perfect again going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Tara Munson produced two hits with two RBI’s, Jessica Honeycutt added two hits and three runs scored, and Aubree Munson legged out an inside-the-park solo home run. Freshman pitcher Kandis Armstrong picked up her second victory with relief help from Allie Smith. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 7, at Rio Grande
Cedarville went on the road to defending NAIA Region IX champion Rio Grande and came away with an AMC South Division doubleheader split. The Lady Jackets won the opener, 5-3, while the Redwomen took game two, 3-1, to end CU’s seven-game winning streak. Cedarville jumped out to 5-0 lead after two innings of the first game. Jessica Honeycutt stroked a two-run double in the 1st inning to get the scoring started. Whitney Kirby added an RBI double in the 2nd and Natalie Fox came through with a two-run single. Fox won her sixth straight pitching decision with five strikeouts and no walks. She helped her own cause with two hits while Kirby and Ginger Keithley added two hits apiece. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] The Lady Jackets struck first in the nightcap when Fox doubled home Keithley in the 1st inning. Cedarville would not score again and managed just five hits total. Rio strung together five consecutive hits in the 4th inning which plated three runs to account for the final score. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

April 5, at Shawnee State
Natalie Fox notched her 500th career strikeout and Cedarville swept an AMC South Division doubleheader at Shawnee State. The winning scores for the Lady Jackets were 5-4 in 13 innings and 4-3. Fox, already CU’s all-time strikeouts leader, went all 13 innings in the opener and fanned five batters to reach exactly 500 K’s for her four-year career. The Jackets needed a run in the top of the 7th inning to tie the score at 3-3. Kailin Acheson, who was 5-for-7 in the game, stole home on the back end of a double steal with Erin DiMeolo stealing second. Courtney Thayer and Tara Munson had RBI’s in the 13th inning. DiMeolo, Thayer, and Munson all had three hits apiece. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] Allie Smith was the winning pitcher in the second game and helped herself with a two-run single that staked Cedarville to a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning. After the Bears rallied to tie, the Jackets plated the game winner in the 6th when Jessica Honeycutt doubled and scored on an RBI single by Acheson. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

March 31, at Malone
The Lady Jackets combined an explosive offense with solid pitching to sweep an AMC South Division doubleheader at Malone. Cedarville has won four straight games and six of the last seven. Natalie Fox nailed down her fourth pitching decision in a row and went 2-for-4 at the plate to spark CU in the opener. Kailin Acheson was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a triple, and three RBI’s to lead the team’s 12-hit attack. Courtney Thayer added two hits including a double with an RBI while Tara Munson had two hits with two runs scored. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] Allie Smith fanned a career-high 12 batters in the nightcap while the Jackets continued their hot hitting with 14 hits. Cedarville took a 2-1 lead into the 5th inning and broke the game open by scoring four times in the frame. Jessica Honeycutt was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, Ginger Keithley had two hits with two runs scored, Thayer doubled home two runs, and Fox was 3-for-4. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

March 29, URBANA
Natalie Fox tossed a six-inning no-hitter and then came on to save the nightcap as Cedarville opened its home schedule by sweeping an AMC South Division doubleheader from Urbana. The Lady Jackets won the opener, 8-0, in a contest halted due to the 8-run mercy rule before holding on to win game two, 3-2. Fox pitched the third no-hitter of her career with six strikeouts and two walks in the first game. Jackie Greetham paced the offense by going 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base. Jessica Honeycutt was 2-for-3 with an RBI while Fox, Ginger Keithley, and Whitney Kirby added singles. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] Courtney Thayer’s two-run single gave CU a 2-0 lead in the 4th inning of the second contest. After the Jackets plated an unearned run in the 5th, the Blue Knights struck for their two runs in the 6th inning off of winning pitcher Allie Smith. Fox handled the final 1 1/3 innings for the save. Greetham, Fox, and Honeycutt delivered two hits apiece. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

March 26, at Walsh
Natalie Fox tossed a two-hitter and drove in the game’s only run to lead Cedarville to a 1-0 victory at Walsh in the first game of an AMC South Division doubleheader. The Cavaliers squeaked out a 2-1 victory in the second contest. Fox hurled the 19th shutout of her career while posting six strikeouts and three walks. Her sacrifice fly in the 3rd inning scored Erin DiMeolo, who had two hits total, with the game’s only run. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE] In game two, Courtney Thayer singled home Jackie Greetham for a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning, but that was all the offense CU could muster. The Jackets finished with five hits in the game. Walsh scored twice in the 4th inning and then held on for the win. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE]

March 12, Saint Thomas FL (at Fort Myers, FL)
The Lady Jackets wrapped up play in the Gene Cusic Classic with a 2-1 victory in 8 innings versus Saint Thomas of Florida. Cedarville completed its spring break trip with a 6-2 record. The NCAA tiebreaker rule was used with Aubree Munson beginning the top of the 8th inning on second base. She later scored on a single by Natalie Fox, who was also the winning pitcher in relief of starter Allie Smith. Saint Thomas had tied the game with a run in the bottom of the 7th. CU got on the board first in the 4th inning on an RBI single by Courtney Thayer, who had two hits in the contest. [BOXSCORE]

March 12, Aurora (at Fort Myers, FL)
NCAA Division III Aurora silenced Cedarville’s offense in a 2-0 victory at the Gene Cusic Classic. The Spartans scored the game’s only runs in the bottom of the 4th inning and then held the Lady Jacket bats in check. CU mustered just three hits on a double by Ginger Keithley and singles from Whitney Kirby and Erin DiMeolo. Those were the only baserunners the Jackets had in the game and none got further than second base. [BOXSCORE]

March 11, Saint Joseph's ME (at Fort Myers, FL)
Jessica Honeycutt homered and drove in four runs, and the Lady Jackets racked up season-highs for runs and hits during a 10-2 victory versus Saint Joseph’s of Maine at the Gene Cusic Classic. The game was called after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. Cedarville rang up 14 hits total with five players registering at least two. Jackie Greetham led the way going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Natalie Fox tallied two hits with a double while Honeycutt, Courtney Thayer, and Tara Munson added two apiece. Honeycutt wrapped up CU’s five-run 4th innings with a two-run home run. Winning pitcher Kandis Armstrong picked up her first collegiate victory. [BOXSCORE]

March 11, Cornerstone (at Fort Myers, FL)
A suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 6th inning gave Cedarville the lead and the Lady Jackets held on to edge Cornerstone, 2-1, at the Gene Cusic Classic. The Golden Eagles got on the board first in the 4th inning, but CU got the equalizer in the 5th when Jessica Honeycutt singled, stole second, and later scored on Courtney Thayer’s single. The Jackets produced the game winner in their next at bat when Ginger Keithley singled, stole second, moved to third on Jackie Greetham’s sacrifice, and then scored on a squeeze play by Natalie Fox. Honeycut had two of Cedarville’s four hits. Fox was the winning pitcher with eight strikeouts and two walks. [BOXSCORE]

March 10, Robert Morris IL (at Fort Myers, FL)
Allie Smith checked Robert Morris on two hits and the Lady Jackets manufactured a run for a 1-0 victory at the Gene Cusic Classic. Ginger Keithley, who tallied two hits in the game, singled in the 5th inning, stole second, stole third, and scored on a throwing error. She stole three bases total while Jackie Greetham, Courtney Thayer, Jessica Honeycutt, and Courtney Brott added singles. Smith went the distance striking out eight and walking two. [BOXSCORE]

March 10, Bridgeport (at Fort Myers, FL)
Natalie Fox tossed a one-hitter as the Lady Jackets nipped Bridgeport, 1-0, at the Gene Cusic Classic. Cedarville scored the game’s only run in the 2nd inning when Jessica Honeycutt led off with a single, stole second, and came across the plate on Kailin Acheson’s two-out double. Fox went the distance in throwing the third one-hitter of her career. She struck out five without a walk. CU totaled six hits with Ginger Keithley leading the way with two. [BOXSCORE]

March 7, Geneva (at Fort Myers, FL)
Cedarville scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 7th inning to beat fellow American Mideast Conference member Geneva, 3-2, at the Gene Cusic Classic. Tara Munson stroked a one-out single and then scored when Whitney Kirby’s base hit was misplayed in the outfield. Jessica Honeycutt delivered a two-run single in the 1st inning and the Lady Jackets’ only other hit came from Jackie Greetham. Winning pitcher Allie Smith gave up two unearned run in seven innings on three hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk. [BOXSCORE]

March 7, Madonna (at Fort Myers, FL)
Madonna rallied to beat the Lady Jackets, 4-3, in their spring break opener at the Gene Cusic Classic. Cedarville took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 5th inning when the Crusaders grabbed the advantage with a three-run homer. After CU squared the score in the top of the 7th, Madonna won it on a bases loaded walk in their half of the frame. Seven Lady Jackets combined to produce nine hits for the game. Ginger Keithley had two hits including a double and two runs scored. Tara Munson added two hits while Courtney Thayer had a double. Natalie Fox struck out 10 batters and walked three. [BOXSCORE]

February 26, Mountain State (at Lebanon, TN)
The Lady Jackets outslugged Mountain State 9-6 after dropping the opener of their non-conference twinbill, 2-1. The two games were played at Cumberland University. Natalie Fox went 3-for-4 at the plate with four runs batted in to lead the offense in game two. Ginger Keithley was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and Whitney Kirby had two RBI’s. Starting pitcher Allie Smith struck out four batters in 4 2/3 innings and Fox wrapped up the game with seven K’s in the final 2 2/3 innings. The Jackets trailed 5-4 entering the 7th inning before rallying for five runs. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE] CU failed to take advantage of scoring opportunities in losing the first game. Tara Munson, Courtney Thayer, and Erin DiMeolo stroked two hits each to pace the Jackets’ eight-hit attack. The pitching staff allowed just three hits and one earned run. Kandis Armstrong made her first collegiate start and gave up two hits and one earned run. Fox cleaned up by allowing one hit in 3 2/3 innings with five K’s. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE]

February 25, at Cumberland TN
Allie Smith fired a three-hitter to lead Cedarville to a 3-0 victory at Cumberland TN to gain a split in the season-opening doubleheader. The Lady Bulldogs won the first game, 10-2. Smith struck out five and walked one in the victory. The Jackets made the most of three hits total off the bats of Natalie Fox, Jessica Honeycutt, and Kailin Acheson. [GAME 2 BOXSCORE] Cumberland broke open a 2-2 tie in the opener with an eight-run 4th inning. Ginger Keithley had two hits for CU while Tara Munson had the other. [GAME 1 BOXSCORE]