UVa's Kristen Dennis Tosses No-Hitter Against Tennessee Tech
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Feb. 22, 2002
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Third-year All-American Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) fired her first collegiate no-hitter in leading the Virginia softball team to a 7-0 victory over host Tennessee Tech Friday (February 22) in the Worth/Icebreaker Tournament. With the victory, UVa improves to 6-2 on the season, while Tennessee Tech falls to 2-3.
Dennis struck out 12 and walked three in improving to 3-1 on the season with the no-hitter. She has thrown three complete-game shutouts this season. Dennis’ no-hitter is the second of the season for a UVa pitcher as first-year Val Sevilla (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) fired a no-hitter against East Carolina on February 17.
The Cavaliers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second as they scored three unearned runs. Sevilla supplied the big hit in the inning, a two-run double that scored second-year first baseman Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) and third-year second baseman Jill Bumler (Montclair, Va./Bishop O’Connell). Dennis reached on a three-base error by the right fielder to lead off the inning and scored the first run of the inning on second-year shortstop Heather Field’s (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) single. Field scored UVa’s fourth run of the game in the bottom of the third inning on a single by second-year designated player Stephanie Calhoun (Spring Valley, Calif./Mount Miguel).
Virginia broke the game open with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as graduate student center fielder Kelly McCabe (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin), Dennis and Field each drove in a run.
Sevilla and Field both had two hits and a pair of RBI in the game. The Cavaliers collected 10 hits in the contest.
Lori Bayless (1-1) took the loss for Tennessee Tech. She gave up six runs (three earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings of work. Tia Brenning allowed one run on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief work.
The Cavaliers continue play in the Worth/Icebreaker Tournament Saturday (February 23) when they play Middle Tennessee State and Louisville at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., respectively.