Virginia Softball Takes One Of Two Games From Maryland
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April 9, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia softball team scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Maryland in the first game of a doubleheader, but lost the second game 1-0 Saturday (April 9) at The Park. The Cavaliers are now 15-22 overall and 4-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while Maryland is 19-11 and 3-2 in the ACC.
The Cavaliers received outstanding pitching performances from second-year Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) and third-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) as neither pitcher allowed an earned run. Tolar picked up the win in the first game, but Horn suffered the loss in game two.
In the first game, the Cavaliers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to erase a 1-0 lead and pull out the 2-1 victory. Third-year right fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) led off the seventh with a hard single to center field that was misplayed for a two-base error, allowing her to reach third. Second-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University) followed with a hard a grounder to short and Taylor was able to slide home safely on a close play at the plate. Third-year third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./Burbank) then drew a walk, moving Crockett to second base. After a pop up to second base, Crockett was forced out at third on first-year shortstop Kierstie Cameron’s (Pinon Hill’s, Calif./Serrano) fielder’s choice grounder. With two outs, first-year first baseman Whitney Holstun (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) came through with the game-winning hit by ripping a double to the gap in left center to score Larquier from second base.
Maryland took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the second inning. Kerri Lounge reached on an infield error and came around to score on Lauren Pollock’s single up the middle.
Tolar picked up the victory in the circle with an impressive performance. She allowed just one unearned run on seven hits. Tolar struck out four and walked one while improving to 6-9 on the season. Jessica Aditays took the loss in the circle to fall to 5-3 on the season. She gave up two runs on four hits in six innings. Aditays struck out six batters and walked six. Abby Welch pitched the final two-thirds of an inning and allowed one hit, Holstun’s double.
In the second game, Maryland took advantage of three Cavalier errors in the top of the fifth inning to score the lone run of the game. Crystal Rizzuto led off the inning with a single and moved to second on an outfield error. She scored from third with two outs on Nneka Cardoza’s grounder that was misplayed for UVa’s third error of the inning.
The Cavaliers threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Crockett and Larquier hit back-to-back singles. Fourth-year catcher Jenn Wynn (Herndon, Va./Herndon) was then issued an intentional walk to load the bases, but Maryland’s Crystal Crews got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Crews registered the shutout to improve to 4-2 on the season. She held Virginia to four hits while striking out five and walking two. Horn pitched well in defeat for the Cavaliers. In a complete-game effort, Horn (5-6) allowed just three hits and the one unearned run. She struck out eight while walking three.
Larquier had two of UVa’s four hits in the second game and three in the doubleheader.
The three-game series with Maryland concludes Sunday (April 10) with a noon contest at The Park.