Virginia Softball Drops Pair Of Games At Palm Springs Classic
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Feb. 24, 2007
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The Virginia softball team lost a pair of games in five innings Friday evening (Feb. 23) at the Palm Springs Classic at the Big League Dreams Sports Complex. The Cavaliers managed just one hit in a five-inning 10-0 loss to Cal State Fullerton. UVa then dropped a 15-3 five-inning decision to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to fall to 1-3 in the tournament and 6-8 on the season.
Fullerton’s Candice Baker held Virginia to just one hit in a 10-0 victory. She struck out 11 and walked three while improving to 4-3 with the complete-game effort. First-year Nicole Koren (Warminster, Pa.) singled through the left side of the infield in the bottom of the second inning for the Cavaliers’ lone hit in the contest.
The Titans scored seven runs on six hits in the top of the second inning. Jenna Wheeler provided Fullerton all the runs it would need with a three-run homer down the left field line for a 3-0 lead. Courtney Martinez added a two-run single later in the inning. The Titans went on to score two runs in the third and another in the fourth to open up the 10-0 lead.
Second-year Karla Wilburn (Del Mar, Calif.) suffered the loss in the circle to fall to 4-5 on the season. In 1.1 innings, Wilburn allowed seven runs on five hits with a pair of walks. Koren threw the final 3.2 innings and gave up three runs (one earned) on two hits with six walks and two strikeouts.
In their second game of the day, the Cavaliers fell to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 15-3 in five innings. Cal Poly used an infield single to lead off the game and a three-base throwing error to score its first two runs. Cal Poly added three runs in the second before UVa answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 5-1. First-year right fielder Sarah Tacke (Merced, Calif.) doubled to left center with two outs in the second to score Koren from second base. Cal Poly added two runs in the top of the third to extend its lead to 7-1. First-year first baseman Kelly Haller (Leesburg, Va.) answered with a two-run homer to center field to make the score 7-3. Cal Poly added two runs in the fourth and six in the fifth to make the score 15-3. Cal Poly outhit UVa 17-5 in the game.
Koren took the loss in the circle for her first decision of the season. In 1.1 innings, Koren gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits with one walk. Fourth-year Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga.) threw 2.1 innings of relief work and allowed five runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout. Wilburn went the final 1.1 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits with one walk. Cal Poly’s Jenna Maiden improved to 3-2 with the win in the circle. In 2.2 innings of relief work, Maiden gave up just one hit with four strikeouts. Emily Hively pitched the first 2.1 innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits with one strikeout.
UVa wraps up play in the Palm Springs Classic with two games Saturday night (Feb. 24). The Cavaliers take on 22nd-ranked Fresno State and sixth-rated Oregon State at 8:30 p.m. (ET) and 11 p.m. (ET), respectively.