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Virginia Softball Takes Two From Maryland On Senior Day
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April 19, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia softball team closed out the home portion of its schedule by sweeping an Atlantic Coast Conference doubleheader from Maryland Saturday (April 19) at The Park in the final home games for four UVa seniors. The Cavaliers won the first game 3-0 and then took the nightcap 5-1 in improving to 31-20 overall and 3-3 in the ACC. Maryland falls to 15-15 overall and 0-6 in the ACC.
In the first game, first-year pitcher Christina Grimm’s (Los Osos, Calif./Morro Bay) tossed a three-hit shutout in UVa’s 3-0 victory. Grimm struck out four and walked only one batter in improving to 12-5 on the season. It was Grimm’s team-leading third shutout of the season. Monica Cyphert (9-8) was the tough-luck loser as she gave up three runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits.
The Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of unearned runs. First-year second baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) led off with a single to left and moved to third on a double to left field by second-year catcher Jenn Wynn (Herndon, Va./Herndon). Cyphert nearly got out of the jam, but Grimm’s two-out fly ball was misplayed by the left fielder allowing both Larquier and Wynn to score. Virginia increased its lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. With one out, third-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) doubled to right center and scored on a double to right field by fourth-year third baseman Ruby Rojas (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei).
In UVa’s 5-1 win in the second game, Maryland grabbed a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the third inning. A pair of batters hit by pitches and a sacrifice bunt put Terrapin runners on second and third with one out. Maryland scored its only run of the day when Jillian Callaway’s groundball was misplayed by Larquier, allowing Nneka Cardoza to score from second base.
UVa came back to take the lead for good in the fourth inning. With one out, Wynn walked and scored on third-year first baseman Hannah Owings’ (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) double to the gap in right center. Owings moved to third on the throw to the plate and then scored when fourth-year left fielder Johanna Kaiser (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) laced a single to center field. The Cavaliers broke the game open with three runs in the sixth inning to make the final score 5-1. Kaiser led off the inning with a single up the middle and fourth-year catcher Brit Gore (Vienna, Va./James Madison) walked. Fourth-year center fielder Katie Weinberg (Reston, Va./South Lakes) laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Field plated Kaiser with a double to right center to make it 3-1. With two outs, Rojas closed out the scoring by hitting a two-run triple to right that scored Gore and Field.
First-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) fought through control problems to earn the complete-game win and improve to 13-10 on the year. Horn allowed one unearned run on five hits and struck out nine while walking seven. Jessica Aditays (6-6) took the loss for Maryland, allowing five runs on eight hits with five walks and one strikeout.
The doubleheader marked the final home contest for Virginia fourth-years Brit Gore, Johanna Kaiser, Ruby Rojas and Katie Weinberg, who will all graduate in May.
The Cavaliers return to action on Wednesday, April 23 when they travel to Harrisonburg, Va. for a doubleheader against in-state rival James Madison.