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Virginia Softball Team Sweeps Pittsburgh In A Doubleheader
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April 21, 2001
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
The University of Virginia softball team limited Pittsburgh to three hits in sweeping a doubleheader from the Panthers 8-2 and 2-0 Saturday afternoon (April 21) at The Park. With the two wins, the Cavaliers improve to 16-0 at home and are now 45-13 on the season. Pittsburgh falls to 10-31.
In the first game, the Cavaliers jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning as they banged out five extra-base hits. Fourth-year right fielder Meaghan Young (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) belted a triple and a two-run double in the inning and, in the process, set a new single season record for total bases with 107. After Pittsburgh scored a run in the top of the second, second-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) answered with a solo home run to left center to lead off the bottom of the second.
Rojas was four for four with a homer, a triple and two doubles in the game, falling a single short of hitting for the cycle. Rojas also scored three runs and drove in two. First-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) was three for four with a pair of RBI, while Young was two for four with a double and a triple and two RBI.
First-year pitcher Jessica Edwards (Santa Ana, Calif./Orange Lutheran) earned the victory for UVa. Edwards allowed two runs on just one hit as she improved to 10-4 on the season. She struck out five batters and walked eight. Gina Bessolo took the loss for Pittsburgh as she allowed seven runs on seven hits in one-plus innings of work. Nikki Gasti allowed one run on five hits over the final five innings.
In the second game, third-year Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) and first-year Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby) combined for a two-hit shutout. Dennis (14-5) earned the win with four strong innings in the circle. She allowed just a leadoff infield single in the first inning and struck out five without walking a batter. Barstad earned the save with three innings of one-hit ball. She struck out a pair of batters. Gasti (5-13) took the loss for the Panthers. She gave up two runs on six hits and struck out three while walking two.
Virginia took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when first-year third baseman Tracy Sherman (San Clemente, Calif./St. Margaret’s Episcopal) roped a double to center field with two outs. Sherman scored when second-year second baseman Jill Bumler (Montclair, Va./Bishop O’Connell) drilled a single to left center off the shortstop’s glove. Bumler also accounted for UVa’s run in the bottom of the fourth when first-year first baseman Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) scored on her suicide squeeze bunt.
Bumler was one for one with two RBI in the second game. Rojas collected her fifth hit of the afternoon with a one for three effort, while Field was also one for three and finished the doubleheader with four hits.
Virginia returns to action on Sunday, April 22 when it hosts Maryland in an ACC doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at The Park in Charlottesville.