Virginia Softball Sweeps ACC Doubleheader From NC State
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March 26, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Virginia softball team opened Atlantic Coast Conference play by sweeping a doubleheader from NC State Saturday (March 26) at Walnut Creek Sports Complex. The Cavaliers won the first game 7-6 in a 10-inning marathon, then completed the sweep with an 8-0 six-inning win in game two. With the two wins, UVa improves to 12-16 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. The Wolfpack fall to 28-17 overall and 1-3 in the league.
In the first game, Virginia broke a 6-6 tie with an unearned run in the top of the 10th inning. After scoreless eighth and ninth innings, first-year designated player Lindsay Preuss (La Plata, Md./La Plata) opened the frame by reaching second base when her grounder to third was thrown wildly to first. Preuss moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a failed pickoff attempt at third base.
Second-year pitcher Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) improved to 5-6 in the circle with the victory. She pitched the first 9.1 innings before giving way to third-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) with one out and two runners on base in the 10th inning. Horn induced a pop up to short and a strikeout to earn her first save of the season. Tolar allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts and five walks. Abbie Sims (11-7) took the loss for NC State. She gave up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits with 11 strikeouts and seven walks.
NC State, which scored all six of its runs with two outs, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Abbie Sims’ two-out homer to left. The Wolfpack increased its lead to 2-0 with a run in the third inning on Jennifer Chamberlin’s RBI single. The Cavaliers came back to knot the contest at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Third-year third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) led off inning with a double down the left field line. Fourth-year catcher Jenn Wynn (Herndon, Va./Herndon) then walked and Larquier stole third base on the play. First-year Kat Mirras (Montauk, N.Y./East Hampton) pinch ran for Wynn and pulled off a double steal, with Larquier stealing home for UVa’s first run. First-year shortstop Kierstie Cameron (Pinon Hills, Calif./Serrano) plated Mirras with a double to center to tie the game at 2-2.
The Cavaliers took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning on Wynn’s two-run homer to center field. Second-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University) got a free trip around the bases on Wynn’s fourth home run of the season after leading off the inning with a walk. NC State cut UVa’s lead to 4-3 as it took advantage of a pair of Cavalier errors to score an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth. The Wolpack scored three more two-out runs in the sixth to take a 6-4 advantage. Heather Gelbard hit a two-run single and Shanna Smith plated the third run with another single. The Cavaliers fought back to tie the game at 6-6 with two runs in the seventh. With one out, third-year right fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) hit a solo home run to right center, her first collegiate homer. Wynn followed with a single up the middle. Second-year Meghan O’Leary (Baton Rouge, La./Episcopal) pinch ran for Wynn and moved to second on a walk to Cameron. Second-year first baseman Brooke Sorber (Alexandria, Va./Mount Vernon) singled to left and O’Leary came around to score on an error by the left fielder to tie the game at 6-6.
In game two, Horn tossed a four-hit shutout in helping lead the Cavaliers to an 8-0 victory. Horn (3-3) struck out eight batters while walking two. Shaina Ervin (10-9) was the losing pitcher. She allowed eight runs (four earned) on eight hits. Ervin struck out seven batters and walked six.
UVa jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Larquier’s three-run homer to left. Crockett walked and Taylor singled before Larquier’s fourth homer of the season. Second-year designated player Amy McKean (Kent, Wash./Kentlake) made the score 4-0 in the fifth with a solo homer to right. The Cavaliers took advantage of three Wolfpack errors to score four unearned with just one hit and two walks in the sixth inning. Taylor drove in the fourth run of the inning with her third hit of the contest.
UVa goes for the sweep in the series on Sunday (March 27) when the two teams square off at 1:00 p.m.