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March 29, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Virginia softball team opened the Tar Heel Invitational with victories over Hawaii and East Carolina Saturday (March 29) at the UNC Softball Complex. The Cavaliers began the tournament with an 8-7 eight-inning win over Hawaii and then closed out the day with a 5-1 triumph over East Carolina. With the two wins, UVa improves to 23-16 on the season.
In the 8-7 win over Hawaii (17-13), Virginia held a 7-4 lead, but gave up three runs in the bottom of the seventh before pulling out the victory in the eighth inning. Third-year first baseman Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) drove in first-year second baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) with a single to left center with one out in the eighth. First-year pitcher Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) registered the victory in the circle with 1.2 innings of relief. Horn, who improved to 10-7 with the victory, did not allow a hit, but walked three batters, including two intentionally to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. She secured the win by getting Hawaii’s Kate Judd to fly out left field for the final out the game. First-year Christina Grimm (Los Osos, Calif./Morro Bay) hurled the first 6.1 innings and gave up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits. Hawaii’s Melissa Coogan (14-7) took the loss, allowing up eight runs on eight hits.
Larquier staked the Cavaliers to a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer to center field. It was her team-leading ninth home run of the season. Third-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) scored on Larquier’s home run after leading off the game with a single. The Cavaliers fell behind 4-3 after four innings, but tallied three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. Fourth-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) drove in the first two runs with a single to center field and she eventually scored on Larquier’s suicide squeeze bunt.
Horn recorded her second victory of the day in UVa’s 5-1 win over East Carolina (17-17). She allowed only one run on two hits in picking up her 11th victory of the season. Horn struck out three and walked seven. Virginia scored all five of its runs in the first three innings. In the first inning, Rojas drove in Field with a double and then scored on a double steal attempt. Fourth-year catcher Brit Gore (Vienna, Va./James Madison), who was 2-3 in the game, increased UVa’s lead to 3-0 with a RBI double in the second. Owings drove in the final two Virginia runs with a double to left center in the bottom of the third.
Horn lost her shutout bid with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when she issued a bases loaded walk to Kristen Johnson. Maggie Lingo took the loss for the Pirates as she allowed five runs on four hits in 2.2 innings of work.
The Cavaliers continue play in the Tar Heel Invitational Sunday (March 30) will a noon game against North Carolina. The championship and third place games with take place at 2:00 p.m.