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Virginia Softball Team Eliminated From ACC Tournament
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May 12, 2001
RALEIGH, N.C. – The third-seeded University of Virginia softball team was eliminated from the 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Tournament after splitting a pair of games Saturday (May 12) at Walnut Creek Sports Complex. The Cavaliers advanced in the tournament with a 3-2 victory over Georgia Tech in the first game of the day, but fell to Maryland 3-1 in the third game of the day for their second loss and were eliminated from the tournament. UVa (52-17) finished the double-elimination tournament with a 1-2 record and it marks the first time since 1997 that the Cavaliers have not played in the championship game.
In the win over Georgia Tech, the Cavaliers used a pair of home runs to account for their three runs in the 3-2 win. First-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) hit a two-run homer to left in the top of the fourth inning and fourth-year right fielder Meaghan Young (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) blasted a solo shot in the fifth inning to put Virginia ahead for good. Field’s one-out, two-run shot scored second-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), who had reached base with a bunt single. Young, who was two for four in the game, followed in the fifth inning with a one-out solo homer.
Georgia Tech took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on back-to-back doubles by Erin Hawley and Kori Jacobson. Field’s home run gave the Cavaliers’ a 2-1 lead, but the Yellow Jackets tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Susanne Miller that scored pinch runner Sara Wissman. With the score knotted at 2-2, Young hit her game-winning home run in the fifth.
Third-year pitcher Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) earned the victory to improve to 18-8 on the season with 3.2 innings of relief in place of first-year starter Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby). Dennis held the Yellow Jackets hitless and struck out one and walked one. Barstad allowed two runs on six hits in 3.1 innings of work. Georgia Tech’s Erin Voeltz (12-18) took the loss as she allowed three runs on six hits and struck out four and walked three.
Against Maryland, the Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Young led off the game with a walk and stole second base with two outs. She scored on Dennis’ single to left field. The Terrapins came back and took the lead for good with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Maryland’s Danielle Carpenter plated Jennifer Potzman with what proved to be the game-winning run with a two-out single to second base. The Terps added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Kiesha Pickeral doubled down the left field line to score Michelle Burrell.
Third-year Erin Allinder (Norco, Calif./Norco) pitched the first 4.1 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits and was saddled with the loss. Allinder, who struck out one batter, falls to 14-5 on the season. Dennis pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed one hit and walked one batter. Amanda Bettker improved to 16-7 on the year by picking up the victory. She allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out two and issued one walk.
By splitting its two games in the ACC Tournament Saturday, UVa concludes regular season play with a 52-17 record. Maryland advances to play Florida State on Sunday (May 13) at 11:00 a.m. with the winner of that game advancing to the championship game against North Carolina. Maryland or FSU must defeat North Carolina twice on Sunday to win the ACC title.