SLCC softball: Bruins pounce on errors, beat Bulldogs 11-3

St. George • The Salt Lake Community College Bruins had to wait an extra 90 minutes before they began play at the NJCAA Softball World Series on Wednesday night.

Two delays for wind, thunder and rain didn't slow them down, and shaky defense from the opposition certainly helped.

The Bruins scored four runs in the first inning and repeated the feat in the third as they took full advantage of seven errors and beat Georgia Military 11-3 to improve to 48-6 on the season. Kaylee Bott and Madison Sisco drove in two runs apiece as Salt Lake advanced to a quarterfinal game at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against San Jacinto of Texas, a 5-4 winner over Chattanooga State.

Bott and Sisco set the tone early when they came through with back-to-back doubles with one out in the first for a 1-0 lead. After an Alex Valencia single plated Sisco, Valencia came all the way around from first base on an Ansley Wilbanks error.

Catcher Laina SueSue completed the rally and made it 4-0 when she singled with two out that scored Ashlee Snyder.

Bruins starter Addie Jensen ran into her only real trouble spot when Danielle Downs led off with a walk and Natalie Johnson hit a two-run homer with one out in the second. Jensen issued two more walks later in the inning, but dodged further damage when she got Katy Stamey to hit into a fielder's choice.

SLCC started its second four-run rally in the third with an RBI single from Ashley Anderson, and two more errors from the Bulldogs allowed the other three runs to score and push the Bruins' lead to 8-2.

Sara Bendt scored on a wild pitch for SLCC's only run in the fourth, but the Bruins left the bases loaded in the fifth with a chance to finish off the win early on the run rule.

After Georgia Military, the No. 15 seed, scored a run in the top of the sixth on a Brittany Lowe sacrifice fly, Salt Lake didn't miss its chance to walk off early in the bottom of the inning. SueSue led off with an infield single and moved up to second on a sacrifice. Dani Perkins drew a walk and Lauren Tycksen singled to load the bases before Bott delivered her game-winning hit with a single that scored SueSue and Perkins. —

Results and schedule

NJCAA Softball World Series

At Canyons Complex, St. George

Central Arizona 9, Wallace State 6

Chipola 5, North Central-Texas 3

Butler 9, Snead State 1

Howard 12, Tyler 6

Salt Lake 11, Georgia Military 3

Florida Southwestern 10, Indian Hills 2

San Jacinto 5, Chattanooga State 4

Lake Land 6, NE Oklahoma A&M 5

Thursday's Games

All games at 2:30 p.m.

Championship bracket

Salt Lake vs. San Jacinto

Lake Land vs. Florida Southwestern

Central Arizona vs. Chipola

Butler vs. Howard

Consolation bracket

Snead State vs. Tyler

Wallace State vs. North Central-Texas

Indian Hills vs. Georgia Military

Chattanooga State vs. NE Oklahoma A&M