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Virginia Softball Splits First Two Games In Buzz Classic
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March 3, 2006
MARIETTA, Ga. – After a tough 6-3 loss to Oklahoma State in its first game of the Buzz Classic Friday (Mar. 3) at the Al Bishop Softball Complex, the University of Virginia softball team rebounded with a 12-3 five-inning victory over St. Joseph’s (Pa.) to even its record at 1-1 in the three-day tournament. Fourth-year second baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif.) set the school record for career RBI, and also established a new single game mark with two sacrifice flies against St. Joseph’s, while fourth-year center fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa.) belted her first career grand slam against the Hawks. The Cavaliers now stand at 7-3 on the season.
Virginia opened up an early 3-0 lead against Oklahoma State (5-10). Larquier led off the bottom of the first with her first home run of the season, and in the process set UVa’s career RBI record with 159. UVa added a pair of unearned runs in the third inning. Second-year shortstop Lindsey Preuss (La Plata, Md.) reached on an error to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice and stole third. Larquier was then hit by a pitch and promptly stole second. Preuss scored on Taylor’s sacrifice fly to center that also moved Larquier to third. Larquier scored on third-year first baseman Brooke Sorber’s (Alexandria, Va.) single to left.
Second-year Karla Wilburn (Del Mar, Calif.) held the Cowgirls to just one hit through five innings. She allowed a leadoff single in the sixth and was replaced by first-year Madi Gore (Acworth, Ga.). Gore allowed three runs to score in the top of the sixth, including the runner she inherited from Wilburn. Fourth-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla.) suffered the loss when she gave up three runs on a pair of homers in the seventh. In five innings, Wilburn gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts. Jessica Hoppock (2-6) picked up the victory for Oklahoma State. She allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
UVa erupted for a season-high 12 runs in a 12-3 five inning win over St. Joseph’s (0-1). The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on Lynn Ann Ravert’s home run, but Virginia answered with two tallies in the bottom half of the second. Horn led off with a walk and came around to score on a wild pitch and Larquier plated Preuss with the first of her school record two sacrifice flies. Preuss had reached on a bunt single. St. Joe’s took advantage of three UVa errors to score a pair of unearned runs in the third to take a 3-2 edge. Third-year catcher Amy McKean (Kent, Wash.) tied the game at 3-3 with a one-out homer to center in the bottom of the third.
UVa broke the game open with nine runs in the final two innings. Preuss led of the fourth with a single and scored on an error. Larquier added her school record second sac fly of the game to score another run and Sorber plated the third with a double to make the score 6-3. In the fifth inning, Horn led off with an infield single and Preuss reached base on a wild pitch. Horn came around to score on another wild pitch and Preuss made it 8-3 when she scored on third-year Lara Rodriguez’s (Oak Hill, Va.) pinch hit single down the left field line. With the bases loaded, Taylor ended the game with a grand slam. It marked Taylor’s second home run of the season and third of her career.
Gore registered the win in the circle to improve to 4-0 on the season. She threw three innings of scoreless relief in place of Horn and gave up three hits while striking out five batters. In 2.0 innings of work, Horn allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Megan Oliver (0-1) was the losing pitcher. In 4.0 innings, she allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Melissa Pilley pitched the fifth inning and gave up five runs on two hits.
UVa continues play in the Buzz Classic on Saturday (Mar. 4) with games against South Dakota State and Evansville at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., respectively.