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March 8, 2006

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Virginia softball team broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the top of the eighth inning and registered a 4-2 win over Long Beach State Wednesday (Mar. 8) at the 49er Softball Complex. With the victory, the Cavaliers improved to 13-5 on the season, while Long Beach State falls to 10-10.

UVa got a solid pitching performance from second-year Karla Wilburn (Del Mar, Calif.). Wilburn pitched all eight innings in improving to 4-2 on the season. She allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

With the score tied at 1-1 after seven innings, the international tie-breaker was used to help decide the outcome. UVa began the eighth inning with fourth-year center fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa.) at second base. Third-year catcher Amy McKean (Kent, Wash.) immediately broke the tie with a double that scored Taylor. A sacrifice bunt by third-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz.) moved McKean to third and she scored on third-year designated player Michelle Salmiery’s (San Jose, Calif.) single. A walk to fourth-year left fielder Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla.) moved Salmiery to second. Second-year shortstop Lindsey Preuss’ (La Plata, Md.) fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop forced Salmiery out at third. Second-year first baseman Whitney Holstun (Escondido, Calif.) then hit a grounder up the middle. The 49ers’ second baseman attempted to force Preuss out at second, but Preuss beat her to the bag and Horn raced all the way around from second with the third run of the inning to make the score 4-1.

Long Beach State made the final score 4-2 when Brianna Goad singled in Franciska Morlet from second base in the bottom of the eighth. Wilburn got the final out on a foul out to third base with the tying run on first base.

Virginia took a quick lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Fourth-year third baseman Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif.) led off with a single and moved to second when Taylor was hit by a pitch. Larquier came around to score on McKean’s single. Long Beach State tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Lacy Tyler singled and then stole second base with two outs. She scored on Brooke LeSage’s double.

Jennifer Martinez (2-5) took the loss in the circle for Long Beach State. She went the distance, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits. Martinez struck out five and walks two.

McKean had two hits and two RBI for the Cavaliers, while Larquier and Holstun both had a pair of hits.

Virginia returns to action Thursday (Mar. 9) when it competes in the LMU Tournament at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles. The Cavaliers play Cal State Northridge at 2:00 p.m. and host Loyola Marymount at 4:00 p.m.

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