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March 9, 2004

Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. – The University of Virginia softball team defeated 15th-ranked Fresno State 9-3 in the second game of a doubleheader late Tuesday evening (March 9) at Bulldog Diamond, marking the Cavaliers’ first win over a ranked opponent since May of 1999. UVa lost the first game of the twinbill to Fresno State 3-1. Virginia now stands at 11-9 on the season, while Fresno State drops to 16-6.

The win over the 15th-ranked Bulldogs marked Virginia’s first win over a ranked opponent since May 16, 1999 when the Cavaliers defeated 21st-ranked Maryland 3-1 in the ACC Tournament. Prior to the victory over Fresno State, the Cavaliers had lost 18 consecutive games to nationally-ranked opponents since the start of the 2000 season.

UVa lost the first game of the doubleheader to Fresno State 3-1. The Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on third-year catcher Jenn Wynn’s (Herndon, Va./Herndon) single to left center that scored second-year center fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy). Taylor reached base on an infield single. Taylor and first-year designated player Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University) both had two hits in game one for the Cavaliers.

Fresno State tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. In the fifth, Christina Clark put the Bulldogs ahead 3-1 with a two-run homer left field.

Fourth-year Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby) pitched well in falling to 4-3 with the loss. She allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out two and walking one in the complete-game effort. Fresno’s Jamie Southern improved to 11-1 with the complete-game victory. Southern struck out 10 and walked two while allowing one run on six hits.

In the second game, UVa took a 4-0 lead after five innings and after Fresno State scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, the Cavaliers put the game away with five runs in the seventh. UVa had 14 hits in the game with five players registering two or more hits, including fourth-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln), who was 4-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.

UVa took a 1-0 lead in the third when Field led off the game with a single and came around to score on Wynn’s sacrifice fly to center field. Field staked the Cavaliers to a 3-0 lead with a two-run triple in the fourth inning that plated second-year right fielder Jackie Greer (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) and Crockett, who both reached base via walks. UVa increased its lead to 4-0 with a run in the fifth inning. Second-year third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) led off the inning with a single to shortstop and advanced to second on an error by Fresno’s second baseman on Wynn’s grounder. After a sacrifice bunt by fourth-year first baseman Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) moved Wynn and Larquier to second and third, respectively, first-year designated player Brooke Sorber (Alexandria, Va./Mount Vernon) followed with a perfect suicide squeeze that scored Larquier.

Fresno State used four hits and a sacrifice fly in the sixth to score three runs and cut UVa’s lead to 5-3. Virginia answered the Bulldogs’ three runs with five of its own. Greer, third-year left fielder Lauren Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon), Field, and Taylor each had RBI singles in the inning.

Second-year pitcher Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) pitched an excellent game to improve to 5-3 with the victory. She allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

Virginia returns to action Wednesday (March 10) when it plays a doubleheader at 17th-ranked Pacific at 4:00 p.m. ET.

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