Virginia Softball Splits Doubleheader With St. Mary's
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March 13, 2002
MORAGA, Calif. – The Virginia softball team couldn’t hold the momentum from a 2-0 win over St. Mary’s College in the first game of a doubleheader and dropped the nightcap to the Gaels 4-1 Wednesday afternoon (March 13) at Cottrell Field in Moraga, Calif. The Cavaliers now stand at 18-8 on the season, while St. Mary’s improves to 6-18.
Second-year pitcher Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby) picked up both decisions in the doubleheader. She fired a two-hit shutout in the Cavaliers’ 2-0 victory in the first game and was saddled with the loss in the 4-1 setback in the second half of the twinbill. In the second game, she allowed two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning of work. Barstad now stands at 4-1 on the season.
In the 2-0 victory, the Cavaliers scored the only run they would need in the top of the fifth inning. Barstad led off the inning with a single. Third-year Katie Weinberg (Reston, Va./South Lakes) pinch ran for Barstad and advanced to second and third on consecutive groundouts. Weinberg scored what proved to be the game-winning run on second-year shortstop Heather Field’s (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) single to shortstop. UVa added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, Field and fourth-year All-American Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) hit back-to-back doubles with Field scoring on Dennis’ double.
In the second game, the Gaels scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and third innings in a 4-1 victory. Third-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) accounted for the Cavaliers’ only run in the game with her second home run in as many days.
Dennis was two for three in the game and also pitched the final 3.2 innings of the contest. She did not allow a hit and struck out five batters while walking two. Fourth-year pitcher Erin Allinder (Norco, Calif./Norco) came in in relief of Barstad in the first inning. She pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits.
UVa begins pool play in the four-day Capital Classic Softball Tournament in Sacramento, Calif. on Thursday (March 14). The Cavaliers play Middle Tennessee State and UNLV at 10:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time, respectively. On Friday (March 15), Virginia wraps up pool play with contests against host Sacramento State and IUPUI at 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.