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Virginia Softball Sweeps Doubleheader From Brown
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March 31, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia softball team scored all 16 of its runs in three innings in sweeping a doubleheader from Brown University in soggy conditions Wednesday (March 31) at The Park. UVa scored all seven of its runs in the first inning while winning the opener 7-5, then scored nine runs in the third and fourth innings in a 9-0 win in the second game. With the two victories, UVa improves to 25-18 on the season, while the Bears fall to 6-11.
In the first game, Brown scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but the Cavaliers answered with seven runs in the bottom half of the inning in a 7-5 victory. Brown’s Jaimie Wirkowski hit a two-run double to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. UVa used five walks, three hits and a pair of Brown errors to score seven runs in the bottom of the first. Third-year designated player Jenn Wynn (Herndon, Va./Herndon) hit a two-run double to right center to plate the first two runs of the inning. First-year left fielder Lara Rodriguez (Oak Hill, Va./Oakton) added a two-run single in the inning, while first-year third baseman Amy McKean (Kent, Wash./Kentlake) drove in another run with a double down the left field line.
Brown closed to within 7-5 with three unearned runs in the top of the seventh. The Bears’ first two batters reached base via errors and Brown capitalized on the miscues as Courtney Jenkins had a run-scoring single and Melissa Brown added a two-run double to left to make the score 7-5.
Fourth-year pitcher Joanna Barstad (Canby, Ore./Canby) got out of the jam by inducing a groundout to third and a fly out to left to end the game with runners on second and third base. With the victory, Barstad improved to 9-7 on the season. She allowed five runs (two earned) on 10 hits and walked a pair of batters. Marissa Berkes (2-7) was saddled with the loss. She pitched two-thirds on an inning and gave up six runs on three hits with four walks. Uchenna Omokaro pitched the final 5.1 innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout and one walk.
In the nightcap, second-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) tossed a one-hitter in earning the victory in UVa’s 9-0 five-inning win. Horn (10-6) struck out four batters and walked two and retired 10 of the last 11 batters she faced. Melissa Brown’s single to left center was the Bears’ only hit of the game.
The Cavaliers snapped a scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. UVa had four hits in the inning, including triples by first-year catcher Michelle Salmiery (San Jose, Calif./Westmont), first-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University), and second-year third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs). Crockett’s triple drove in second-year Rachel Goings (Clifton Forge, Va./Alleghany) who was pinch running for Salmiery. Crockett scored on a wild pitch and Larquier’s triple plated fourth-year first baseman Hannah Owings (Issaquah, Wash./Liberty) and Wynn, who reached on a single and a hit by pitch, respectively. UVa broke the game open with five runs in the fourth inning. Rodriguez, Salmiery, Crockett and fourth-year shortstop Heather Field (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) hit consecutive singles to open the inning with Rodriguez scoring on Field’s hit. Second-year center fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) then cleared the bases with a three-run triple to left center. Taylor scored the final run of the game on Wynn’s RBI groundout.
Sara Corrigan-Gibbs (2-3) took the loss in the circle for Brown. In three innings, she allowed four runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout. Berkes pitched the final inning and gave up five runs on six hits with one walk.
The Cavaliers return to action on Saturday (April 3) when they open Atlantic Coast Conference play by hosting North Carolina at The Park. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon.