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Feb. 14, 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Virginia softball team posted a 3-2 victory over James Madison Saturday (February 14) in the Silver Bracket of the Triangle Classic at Walnut Creek Sports Complex. The tournament was to conclude Sunday, but was canceled due to inclement weather. With the victory, the Cavaliers improve to 2-1 on the season. James Madison falls to 1-3 on the season.
The Cavaliers won despite registering only one hit in the game. Second-year pitcher Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) picked up her first victory of the season with 1.1 innings of relief work in place of fourth-year starting pitcher Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby). Horn held James Madison scoreless while allowing two hits over the final 1.1 innings. Barstad gave up two runs on four hits in 5.2 innings of work.
UVa took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Fourth-year first baseman Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) drew a one-out walk and came all the way around to score when the third baseman threw third-year left fielder Lauren Dennis’ (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) grounder over the first baseman’s head. The Cavaliers increased their lead to 2-0 in the third inning. First-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University) led off with a single for UVa’s only hit of the game. She moved to second on fourth-year shortstop Heather Field’s (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) sacrifice bunt. Crockett then stole third base and came around to score on second-year center fielder Jessica Taylor’s (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) groundout to second base.
James Madison came back to tie the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Kara Schwind hit a two-out, two-run double to tie the game. The Cavaliers answered with what proved to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Field led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on Taylor’s sacrifice bunt. Field scored from second on a throwing error by the JMU third baseman on second-year Sara Larquier’s (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) grounder.
James Madison’s Liz George was the tough-luck loser as she allowed just one earned run on one hit in a complete-game effort. She issued four walks and did not strike out a batter.
The Cavaliers return to action February 20-22 when they compete in the Sonic Challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn. UVa opens the tournament on Friday (February 20) with games against Bradley and Villanova at 10:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., respectively.