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Virginia Tech Blanks Softball in Doubleheader
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April 27, 1999
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The University of Virginia softball team hosted intrastate rival Virginia Tech in a doubleheader at The Park. With UVa having won 18 of its last 22 games and posting a 16-4 record at the park, coupled with Virginia Techs nation long 22-game winning streak and a 48-12 record entering the afternoon, one would assume these were going to be two good games. Well, the contests lived up to their billing, as the doubleheader turned into a pitchers duel between UVas Kristen Dennis and Techs Clarisa Crowell in game one, followed by the Cavaliers Chrissy Quinn and the Hokies Ashlee Dobbe in the second game. Virginia Tech squeezed out two 1-0 victories in both games of the doubleheader.
After two innings of scoreless softball, Virginia Techs Bronwyn Blair (1-3, run) singled to give Tech a baserunner in the third inning. One batter later, Clarisa Crowell (1-2) hit an RBI triple which score Blair to give the Hokies a 1-0 lead. Crowells triple would turn out to be huge, as it resulted in driving in the eventual game-winning run. Although Crowell came up big at the plate, her performance in the pitchers circle may have even been better. She pitched a complete game shutout through seven innings of play, allowing only four Cavalier hits. UVas Karen Breshears (double), Dennis, Lori Reese, Meaghan Young each finished 1-3 for the game. Dennis pitched a solid game in a losing effort, as she allowed only one run on three hits while striking out 10 Hokie batters. Techs Kara Krumhardt (1-3) collected the third Hokie hit of the contest in the 1-0 win.
Game two was nearly a mirror image of the first contest, only this time both teams played five scoreless innings before a run was scored. With the score knotted at 0-0, once again it was a triple by Techs Crowell (1-2) that sparked the Hokie offense. One batter later, Krumhardt (1-3) grounded a chopper to Virginias second baseman Amy Peay. Peay mishandled the ball which led to an error that allowed Crowell to score the game winning run. Virginia Techs Dobbe collected the complete game shutout, as she allowed one three hits while striking out nine batters. Virginias Quinn surrendered five hits and gunned down a game-high 13 batters in a losing effort. Techs Michelle Meadows and UVas Young each went 2-3 at the plate.
With the two losses, Virginia falls to 30-24 overall. The Cavaliers are 4-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia Tech improves to 50-12 overall with the wins and stands 12-0 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Hokies extended their win streak to 24 games. UVa will return to home action on Wednesday, April 28 when Virginia faces the Liberty Flames in doubleheader. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. and will be played at The Park. The doubleheader with Liberty will be Virginias final regular season contests of the season before heading off to compete in the 1999 ACC Tournament in Tallahassee, Fla. May 14-16. Virginia Tech will resume action on Saturday, May 1 at 12:00 p.m. when the Hokies face Rhode Island in a doubleheader on the road.