Virginia Softball Rolls To Pair Of Wins Over Sacred Heart
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April 29, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Third-year All-American third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) hit two doubles, a triple and a home run and drove in four runs to help lead the University of Virginia softball team to a doubleheader sweep over Sacred Heart Friday (April 29) at The Park. The Cavaliers cruised to an 8-0 six-inning win in the first game and then registered a 9-1 five-inning victory in the nightcap. With the two wins, UVa improves to 27-29 overall, while Sacred Heart falls to 12-20.
In the Cavaliers’ 8-0 six-inning win in the first game, Virginia took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when first-year shortstop Lindsey Preuss (La Plata, Md./La Plata) drilled her first collegiate home run to left field. UVa added four runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Larquier drove in second-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz./University) with a double to left center and then scored on fourth-year catcher Jenn Wynn’s (Herndon, Va./Herndon) single down the left field line. With two outs, Preuss drew a walk and stole second base. Wynn and Preuss both scored when Sacred Heart’s third baseman misplayed first-year left fielder Kat Mirras’ (Montauk, N.Y./East Hampton) grounder.
UVa increased its lead to 6-0 with an unearned run in the fifth. Wynn led off with a walk and moved all the way to third when the Pioneers committed an error on Preuss’ sacrifice bunt. Preuss then stole second base and Wynn scored when the throw to second was misplayed by the shortstop. UVa ended the game with two runs in the sixth. Third-year right fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) hit a one-out single to right and promptly stole second base. Taylor scored on Crockett’s triple to the wall in right field to make the score 7-0. Larquier then hit a slow bouncer to short that scored Crockett to make the score 8-0 and invoke the eight-run rule to end the game.
Second-year Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) tossed a three-hit shutout to improve to 11-13 on the season. She struck out six and walked one in registering her third shutout of the season. At one stretch in the game, Tolar retired 15 consecutive batters before allowing back-to-back hits with one out in the sixth. Bethany Lemenager (2-6) took the loss for Sacred Heart. She allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits in four innings of work. Chrissy DeMott pitched the final 1.2 innings and gave up three runs (two earned).
In UVa’s 9-1 win in the second game, Sacred Heart took 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Brittany Uno’s double that scored Melissa Mezzanotte. The `Hoos answered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Crockett hit a one-out single and then Larquier blasted her eighth homer of the season to dead center field to put UVa up 2-1. Mirras made it 4-1 with a two-run single to right that plated Wynn and Preuss. Larquier led off the third inning with a triple and scored on Wynn’s eighth homer of the season to center field to make the score 6-1. Virginia made the score 9-1 with three runs in the fourth. Taylor and Crockett hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and with two outs, first-year first baseman Whitney Holstun (Alexandria, Va./Mount Vernon) hit a two-run double to left. Holstun then scored from second when Preuss’ ground ball to the second baseman was misplayed for an error.
Third-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon) registered the complete-game victory in the circle to improve to 12-8 on the season. Horn allowed one run on four hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Danielle Mellin (3-6) suffered the loss in the circle. In two innings, she allowed six runs on seven hits. DeMott threw the final two innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits.
The Cavaliers return to action on Saturday (April 30) when they begin a three-game home Atlantic Coast Conference series against in-state rival Virginia Tech at The Park. The first game of the doubleheader will begin at noon.