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Virginia Softball Splits Doubleheader With Virginia Tech
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March 24, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia softball team registered a 2-0 win over in-state rival Virginia Tech in the first game of a doubleheader, but had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 5-2 loss in the nightcap Wednesday (March 24) at The Park. UVa now stands at 19-16 on the season, while the Hokies are 24-10.
In the first game, fourth-year Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby) and second-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) combined for a four-hit shutout in UVa’s 2-0 victory. Barstad held Virginia Tech to three hits in 5.1 innings to improve to 7-6 on the season. Barstad walked four and struck out two. Horn registered her first save of the season with 1.2 innings of relief. She allowed just one hit while striking out two and walking one.
The Cavaliers broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, fourth-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. Second-year center fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) drove in Field with what proved to be the game-winning run with a triple to right center. Virginia added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Third-year catcher Jenn Wynn (Herndon, Va./Herndon) led off the inning with a double to right field and advanced to third on second-year second baseman Sara Larquier’s (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) sacrifice bunt. First-year pinch hitter Brooke Sorber (Alexandria, Va./Mount Vernon) recorded her sixth consecutive single to score Wynn and made the score 2-0. Wynn smacked a pair of doubles in the game, including a shot in the fourth inning that bounced off the very top of the fence and back into play.
Katie Maynard (9-6) took the for Virginia Tech. She allowed two runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks.
In the second game, the Hokies jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held on for a 5-2 victory. Virginia Tech grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on Sarah Prosise’s two-run homer to right center. Back-to-back doubles by Megan Evans and Rachel Pacheco in the third increased Virginia Tech’s lead to 3-0. In the fifth inning, Ashley Yeager hit a two-out, two-run single just out of the reach of UVa’s Field in shallow left field to make the score 5-0.
The Cavaliers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning. First-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University) and Field led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Both runners moved up on Taylor’s sacrifice bunt and Crockett scored on fourth-year first baseman Hannah Owings’ (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) groundout to short to make the score 5-1. The Cavaliers got the first two runners on base again in the seventh as Larquier was hit by a pitch and third-year left fielder Lauren Dennis (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) singled up the middle. With runners on first and third, Sorber followed with what looked to be a single to right field which would have loaded the bases, but the ball hit Dennis in the foot for an out due to interference. First-year pinch hitter Lara Rodriguez (Oakhill, Va./Oakton) then drove in Larquier with a single to left for her first collegiate RBI. Tech’s Pacheco was able to retire the next to batters to end the threat.
Pacheco improved to 9-1 with the win as she allowed one run on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Karie Morrison pitched to the first two batters in the seventh and allowed one run on one hit before being replaced by Pacheco. UVa first-year pitcher Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) took the loss as she gave up two runs on four hits in one-plus inning of work. Horn pitched the final six innings and allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
UVa returns to action March 26-28 when it hosts the Hoo’s Who Tournament at The Park. The Cavaliers open the tournament on Friday (March 26) with a 1:00 p.m. game against Seton Hall. UVa also plays N.C. State at 3:00 p.m. Friday.