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Virginia Softball Splits Doubleheader With James Madison
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April 24, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – After a disappointing 3-2 loss in the first game of a doubleheader with in-state rival James Madison, the Virginia softball team erupted for nine runs in a 9-1, five-inning victory in the second game Wednesday (April 24) at The Park. UVa now stands at 44-18 on the season, while the Dukes are 23-17.
In the first game, fourth-year All-American Kristen Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) allowed just two hits and struck out 13 batters, but James Madison was able to score three runs in the top of the sixth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit for the 3-2 victory. Dennis, who fell to 23-9 with the loss, had a perfect game through five innings. A leadoff walk to Alison Pardalis in the sixth ruined Dennis’ bid for a perfect game and she lost her no-hitter when the next JMU batter, Liz George, attempted to sacrifice Pardalis to second, but her bunt found a gap in the Virginia defense and went for a hit. After a strikeout, Leah Evert hit a two-run double to center field to tie the game at 2-2. Evert scored the go-ahead run on Keri Schlosser’s fielder’s choice grounder as she just beat the throw from first-year second baseman Lauren Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon).
The Cavaliers nearly tied the game in the seventh. Second-year Stephanie Calhoun (Spring Valley, Calif./Mount Miguel) led off the inning with a pinch hit single. Third-year center fielder Katie Weinberg (Reston, Va./South Lakes) attempted to sacrifice first-year Lauren Dennis, who reentered the game in place of Calhoun, to second, but ended up reaching first on a fielding error by JMU third baseman Kara Schwind. Second-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Lauren Dennis was then thrown out on a botched suicide squeeze attempt. With the tying run on third, first-year right fielder Valerie Sevilla (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) hit a line drive down the third base line that Schwind snared for the game-ending out.
UVa took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Field singled to center and stole second base. She moved to third on Sevilla’s bunt single and scored when Sevilla was caught in a rundown. The Cavaliers’ increased their lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning. Dennis led off with a double to right field and first-year pinch runner M.K. White (Vienna, Va./James Madison) came around to score on first-year catcher Jenn Wynn’s (Herndon, Va./Herndon) double to left center. The Dukes’ Leah Conley improved to 11-7 in the circle with the victory. She save up two runs on seven hits and struck out three batters while walking two.
In the second game, UVa exploded for nine runs on 12 hits in a 9-1, five-inning victory. The Cavaliers scored two runs in the first inning and seven in the third to break the game open. Sevilla and fifth-year center fielder Kelly McCabe (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) had back-to-back infield singles to lead off the first inning. After both runners advanced a base on a passed ball, Sevilla scored on Kristen Dennis’ single through the left side of the infield. McCabe then scored on Field’s single up the middle. In the seven run third inning, Virginia received run-scoring hits from Calhoun and Weinberg, a two-run double from Kristen Dennis, which was her second double of the inning, and a sacrifice fly from third-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei). White also drove in a run when her grounder to second base was misplayed, which allowed a run to score.
Sevilla (7-4) earned the victory in the circle as she gave up one run on four hits and struck out one batter. She also had three hits in the game and scored twice. Kristen Dennis was three for three with three RBI and now holds the ACC doubles record outright with 57 in her career (the old mark was 54). JMU’s Nikki Dunn (10-7) took the loss as she allowed nine runs (six earned) on 10 hits in 2.1 innings of work.
UVa returns to action Tuesday (April 30) when hosts ACC rival and 21st-ranked Florida State in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at The Park.