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March 13, 2001
CONWAY, S.C. – The Virginia softball team improved its winning streak to 11 games with 12-1 and 14-6 victories over Coastal Carolina and East Carolina, respectively, Monday (March 12) in the first day of play in the 2001 Coastal Carolina University Softball Classic. With the two victories, UVa improves to 15-6 on the season.
In the game against host Coastal Carolina (5-6), first-years Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) and Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) drove in four runs apiece and also hit their first collegiate home runs in the Cavaliers’ 12-1 victory. Field was three for four in the contest with a double and a home run and also scored two runs. Owings hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning. UVa second-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) was two for two and scored three runs, while fourth-year right fielder Meaghan Young (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) went two for four and scored a run.
Third-year pitcher Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) picked up her fifth victory of the season. Dennis (5-3) allowed one run on four hits in six innings of work. She struck out 11 batters and walked three.
The Cavaliers improved to 15-6 on the season with a 14-6 victory over East Carolina (20-6) Monday night. Owings and Field continued their offensive surge as they combined to drive in five runs. Owings was three for three with two RBI and two runs scored, while Field hit a two-run homer in her only official at-bat. Field walked twice, drove in three runs and scored twice. Dennis went two for four, while Rojas hit a solo home run and scored three times. Second-year center fielder Katie Weinberg (Reston, Va./South Lakes) also scored three runs and hit a double.
Third-year pitcher Erin Allinder (Norco, Calif./Norco) allowed six runs on eight hits and struck out nine batters in improving her record to 5-0. East Carolina’s Hillary Halpern was the losing pitcher and accounted for all six Pirate runs with a pair of three-run homers.
UVa broke the game open in the bottom of the first inning with seven runs. The Cavaliers added another run in the second. East Carolina cut the margin to 8-3 with three runs in the top of the fourth inning, but Virginia added five more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Virginia continues play in the 2001 Coastal Carolina University Softball Classic on Tuesday (March 13) with games against Illinois and Bowling Green at 11:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., respectively,