Quinn And Breshears Lead UVA Softball To Sweep Over East Carolina
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April 26, 2000
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia softball teamreceived apair of outstanding pitching performances from fourth-year Chrissy Quinn(Buckingham, Pa./Central Bucks East) and clutch hitting from fourth-yearthird baseman Karen Breshears (Camarillo, Calif./Cornerstone Christian)insweeping a doubleheader from East Carolina University Wednesdayafternoon,April 26 at The Park. The Cavaliers erased a 5-0 deficit to win thefirstgame 6-5, then took the nightcap 3-2. With the two wins, UVa improvesto24-34 overall and 5-3 in the Southern Atlantic Softball Alliance, whilethePirates fall to 49-13 overall and 2-6 in the SASA.
Quinn won both games to improve her record to 10-11. In 12.2 innings ofwork, Quinn struck out 20 batters and walked just three in dominatingEastCarolina. She allowed 10 hits and just two runs in the two games.Breshears hit a grand slam in the first game to tie the contest at 5-5andscored what proved to be the game-winning run in the second game.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Quinn came in in relief offourth-year starter Stacey Zagol (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) with two outsinthe second inning. Quinn allowed the two runners she inherited toscore,which put the Cavaliers behind by a 5-0 count. After the second inning,Quinn allowed just four runners to reach base and struck out 10.Virginiacame back to tie the game with five runs in the third inning.Second-yearleft fielder Kelly McCabe (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) led off thethirdwith a single and advanced to third base on a double by third-year rightfielder Meg Young (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury). McCabe scored on asingle by fourth-year second baseman Amy Peay (Mechanicsville,Va./Atlee).Second-year first baseman Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La CostaCanyon) walked to load the bases to set the stage for Breshears.Breshearsblasted her first career grand slam and team-leading fourth homer of theseason over the left field fence to knot the game at 5-5.
Virginia scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the bottom ofthefourth inning. Back-to-back singles by first-year shortstop JohannaKaiser(Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) and McCabe placed runners on first andsecond.Young moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Kaiser then scoredthegame-winning run on Peay’s suicide squeeze.
Denise Reagan (21-6) took the loss for East Carolina as she allowed sixruns on nine hits.
In the nightcap, Quinn limited ECU to two runs on seven hits to lead UVatoa 3-2 victory. She struck out nine batters and walked just one.HillaryHalpern (12-2) took the loss as she gave up all three runs (two earned)intwo-thirds of an inning. Laurie Davidson limited the ‘Hoos to two hitsandstruck out six over the final 5.1 innings.
The Cavaliers scored all three of their runs in the first inning. Youngled off the bottom of the first with a single and moved to second onPeay’ssacrifice. Young scored on first-year designated player Ruby Rojas'(SantaAna, Calif./Mater Dei) double down the left field line. First-yearKatieWeinberg (Reston, Va./South Lakes), pinch running for Rojas, advanced tothird on a wild pitch and scored on Breshears’ double to left center.Breshears then advanced to third on an error by the shortstop and scoredwhat proved to be the game-winning run on a wild pitch.
The Pirates scored single runs in the top of the third and fifth inningstotrim the lead to 3-2, but Quinn struck out four batters over the lasttwoinnings to preserve the win. Eva Herron drove in both ECU runs with apairof singles.
Virginia returns to action on Saturday, April 29 when it plays GeorgiaTechin the ACC Tournament at 1:00 p.m. in Tallahassee, Fla. The ACCTournamentruns through Monday, May 1.