Virginia Softball Falls To Middle Tennessee State 11-2
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Feb. 18, 2007
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Virginia softball team jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but Middle Tennessee State scored the final 11 runs of the game for an 11-2 six-inning victory over the Cavaliers Sunday (Feb. 18) in the consolation game of the Worth Wildcat Invitational at Hillenbrand Stadium. With the loss, UVa wraps up the tournament with a 2-3 record and now stands at 5-5 on the season.
UVa took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on first-year first baseman Kelly Haller’s (Leesburg, Va.) two-run homer down the left field line. It was Haller’s first career home run. Fourth-year second baseman Elea Crockett (Tucson, Ariz.) scored on Haller’s round-tripper after reaching on a single to left center.
Middle Tennessee State (3-7) got a run back in the second on a RBI single by Shelby Stiner. The Blue Raiders pushed three runs across the plate in the third to take a 4-2 lead. Justine Cerda hit a RBI double to left center to bring home the first run, while Whitney Darlington added a run-scoring single up the middle. Darlington scored the third run of the inning on an error. Katie Mielke increased MTSU’s lead to 6-2 with a two-run homer to center field in the top of the fourth. In the fifth inning, the Blue Raiders added five runs, including four on a grand slam by Darlington, to take an 11-2 lead. Darlington was 4-4 with five RBI and three runs scored for MTSU.
Fourth-year Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga.) suffered the loss in the circle and falls to 2-2 on the season. In five innings, Tolar allowed 11 runs (nine earned) on 14 hits. She struck out three batters and walked two. After allowing the two first-inning runs, Middle Tennessee’s Amy Candioto held the Cavaliers in check. In four innings, Candioto allowed two runs on eight hits with one walk. Samantha Floyd came in with two runners on base in the fifth and did not allow a run while getting the final three outs. She gave up one hit and walked one.
Haller continued her hot hitting with a 2-3 effort at the plate, including the two-run homer. Crockett also had a pair of hits as did fourth-year third baseman Meghan O’Leary (Baton Rouge, La.). One of O’Leary’s hits was a double, the first extra base hit of her career.
The Cavaliers return to action Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 22-24 when they compete in the Palm Springs Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. UVa opens the tournament with a pair of games on Feb. 22 as Virginia plays UNLV at 8:30 p.m. (ET) and BYU at 11:00 p.m. (ET).