The ninth-seed Detroit Titans softball team got a first career home run from junior Caitlin McPartlin (Trenton, MI/Trenton) and a two-run homer from sophomore Ellen Sinclair (Chatham, ON/Chatham-Kent), but it was not enough as the Titans closed out the 2009 season with an 8-5 setback to seventh-seed Green Bay in an elimination game at the 2009 Horizon League Championship, Friday afternoon at Legends Field in Pendleton, Ind.
Detroit (7-42) took an early 2-0 lead but could not hold on, mainly due to a struggling defense that committed five errors, which led to four of Green Bay's (20-24) first five runs being unearned.
Offensively, the Titans recorded five runs on eight hits led by Sinclair, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs, while sophomore Breana Sesoko (Anaheim Hills, CA/Canyon) hit 2-for-3 with a run and McPartlin, who was 1-for-3. Senior Jacqueline Nortman (Groves, TX/Monsignor. Kelly Catholic) closed out her successful career going 1-for-4 with a run scored while sophomore Kristin Sclater (Taylor, MI/Kennedy), and junior Courtney Gill (Surrey, B.C./Earl Marriott) also hit 1-for-3.
Detroit got off to good start as Sinclair hit a two-run shot over the right field fence, bringing in Nortman for a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The lead was short lived, as Green Bay tied the game at 2-2 with a pair of unearned runs aided by two costly errors.
UDM's defense continued to struggle in the next inning as GB's Alli Rivera reached on a fielding error. Ashley Billerbeck then made the Titans pay, hitting a two-run home run. After a single, Jenna Nitti stole second, advanced to third on a fielding error and was brought home on a sacrifice fly to give the Phoenix a 5-2 lead.
GB added another run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Krissy Hanson, extending its lead to 6-2.
McPartlin's home run over the right-center field fence in the fifth inning cut Green Bay's lead in half at 6-3. However, the Phoenix got the run right back in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly to move ahead 7-3.
In the sixth, Detroit got going as Gill laced a single to the right side, scoring Sesoko from second base. Sclater followed with a single to left center field to load the bases with one out. A passed ball allowed the runners to advance and Sinclair to score, pulling the Titans within two at 7-5. After a walk from junior Jessica Liebner (Ortonville, MI/Brandon) to once again load the bases, GB relief pitcher Amanda Margelofsky got McPartlin to ground to the shortstop, who threw pinch runner Melissa Barrett (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) out at home on a force out. Freshman Krissy Pitock (Carleton, MI/Carleton-Airport) then flew out to short with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Green Bay got another run in the bottom half on a Detroit throwing error which allowed the runner to score from third base. The Phoenix then held the Titans off the board in the seventh for the 8-5 win.
