Virginia Softball Drops 4-1 Decision To Notre Dame
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March 2, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Virginia softball team gave up three runs in the top of the first inning and lost to Notre Dame 4-1 Friday afternoon (March 2) in the first game of the Crispers/JU Invitational at Jacksonville University’s Ashley Sports Complex. With the loss, the Cavaliers fall to 7-10 on the season, while Notre Dame improves to 5-6. UVa was also scheduled to play No. 13 Michigan earlier in the day Friday, but that game could not be played due to the inclement weather in Jacksonville and will be made up on Sunday (March 4) at 11 a.m.
Stephanie Brown, who had three hits in the game for the Fighting Irish, led off with a single to left field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Linda Kohan brought Brown home with the first run of the game with a double to left center. After Heather Johnson was hit by a pitch, Erin Glasco knocked in the second and third runs of the inning with a two-out double to left.
The Cavaliers got one run back in the bottom of the fourth. First-year first baseman Kelly Haller (Leesburg, Va.) led off with a single through the right side of the infield. Third-year Casey Steffan (Long Valley, N.J.) pinch ran for Haller and moved to second on an error by the catcher. Steffan scored when Notre Dame’s shortstop was charged with a throwing error on fourth-year designated player Amy McKean’s (Kent, Wash.) single up the middle. McKean moved to second on the play. UVa went on to load the bases with one out on a single to short by first-year left fielder Nicole Koren (Warminster, Pa.) and first-year right fielder Sarah Tacke’s (Merced, Calif.) single to first base. McKean was forced out at home on a fielder’s choice grounder to short and a ground out to the pitcher ended the threat. Notre Dame answered UVa’s run with a single tally in the fifth. Ashley Ellis led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice. Brown’s single to third moved Ellis to third and she scored on Beth Northway’s sacrifice fly to left.
UVa also threatened with two outs in the fourth. Haller singled to right and McKean followed with a double to right. First-year third baseman Abby Snyder (Cantonment, Fla.) followed with a walk to load the bases, but again Notre Dame got out of the jam with a ground out.
Fourth-year Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga.) took the loss in the circle for UVa and falls to 2-4 on the season. Tolar allowed three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Second-year Karla Wilburn (Del Mar, Calif.) went the final 6.1 innings and held the Irish to one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Brittany Bargar (5-2) went the distance in the circle for Notre Dame. She allowed just the one unearned run on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Haller, McKean and Tacke each had two hits for the Cavaliers with Haller also drawing a walk.
UVa continues play in the Crispers/JU Invitational on Saturday (March 3) with a pair of games. The Cavaliers face host Jacksonville at 2 p.m. and Michigan at 4 p.m.