Saturday, February 7
Palm Springs, Calif.
11:00 PM
Liberty University
0-4
0
vs
5
UC Davis
1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Davis | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| Liberty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Lady Flames Drop Late Contest to Aggies
2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
UC Davis scored runs during the first three frames and added an insurance run in the top of the seventh en route to a 5-0 victory over Liberty, late Saturday evening, to close out the second day's action at the Cathedral City Kick Off.
The contest concluded a lengthy day for the Lady Flames, one that included a two-plus hour rain stoppage on all games and a mix-up in the schedule that eventually pitted Liberty against the Aggies.
The Lady Flames were supposed to face No. 14 Fresno State and UC Riverside on Saturday, but unlikely rain showers in the greater Palm Springs area forced tournament officials to revamp the entire day's schedule.
Liberty did in fact square off against Fresno State, dropping the 2-0 decision to the nationally ranked Bulldogs, just before facing their previously unscheduled foe UC Davis late in the evening on Saturday.
With the loss, Liberty falls to 0-4 early in the 2009 season, while the contest served as UC Davis' season opener and gave the Aggies a 1-0 jump start to the year.
Julie Stauder led off the game by drawing a full-count walk off Liberty's starter Tiffani Smith. After swiping second base, Stauder crossed home plate at the replica Fenway Park on Belinda Paine's sharply struck single down the left field line to stake the Aggies to a 1-0 lead.
UC Davis doubled its overall margin with one swing of the bat in the top of the second inning, as the Aggies' starting pitcher Alex Holmes helped out her own cause with a solo homer over the temporary fences in left field.
A fielding error in the third allowed the Aggies to plate two unearned runs, as Paine reached base on the errant play. Two batters later, designated player Rachel Miller singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw to third, giving UC Davis a pair of runners in scoring position.
And the Aggies were able to quickly cash in on the scoring opportunity, as Erin Emde doubled to center field, scoring both runners on the first baseman's two base hit, which pushed UC Davis' lead to four runs, 4-0.
Liberty broke up Holmes' bid for a no-hitter in the fourth, when Jenny Law got her first collegiate hit with a single up the middle to lead off the frame. After moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt, Law was tagged out at third base on a fielder's choice play to end Liberty's first scoring threat of the contest.
Another Lady Flames' rookie notched her first hit in a Liberty uniform in the fifth frame, but shortstop Kelly Strickland's base hit up the middle would prove no avail for the Lady Flames.
The score remained the same until the top of the seventh, when Miller led off the frame with a double to center field. After a pair of groundouts moved the designated player to third base, Miller was able to cross the plate on an infield single off the bat of Kelly Harman to push UC Davis' lead to 5-0.
The Lady Flames tried to rally in the seventh, as J'nae Jefferson opened the bottom half of the seventh by reaching base on an infield error. The junior managed to move up two bases on a pair of wild pitches, but was left stranded when relief pitcher Nicole Kociemba got Ashley Bensinger to line out to third base.
Holmes outdueled Smith in the pair of sophomore hurler matchups, as she scattered two hits over six innings of work, while fanning 11 batters to improve to 1-0 on the year.
Smith, looking to pick up a victory on her birthday, wasn't able to find the present she was looking for, as the right-hander allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on 10 hits during the complete-game effort.
Paine and Miller paced UC Davis' 10 hit attack, as Paine was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, while Miller was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Law and Strickland accounted for the lone base knocks for Liberty against the Aggies, with Law finishing the contest 1-for-3 and Strickland going 1-for-2 during her plate appearances.
The Lady Flames will wrap up their second stint in the state of California tomorrow, when they square off against No. 24 Long Beach State. The contest will be played at the Big League Dreams replica Wrigley Field and is slated to begin at 11 a.m., local time.
The contest concluded a lengthy day for the Lady Flames, one that included a two-plus hour rain stoppage on all games and a mix-up in the schedule that eventually pitted Liberty against the Aggies.
The Lady Flames were supposed to face No. 14 Fresno State and UC Riverside on Saturday, but unlikely rain showers in the greater Palm Springs area forced tournament officials to revamp the entire day's schedule.
Liberty did in fact square off against Fresno State, dropping the 2-0 decision to the nationally ranked Bulldogs, just before facing their previously unscheduled foe UC Davis late in the evening on Saturday.
With the loss, Liberty falls to 0-4 early in the 2009 season, while the contest served as UC Davis' season opener and gave the Aggies a 1-0 jump start to the year.
Julie Stauder led off the game by drawing a full-count walk off Liberty's starter Tiffani Smith. After swiping second base, Stauder crossed home plate at the replica Fenway Park on Belinda Paine's sharply struck single down the left field line to stake the Aggies to a 1-0 lead.
UC Davis doubled its overall margin with one swing of the bat in the top of the second inning, as the Aggies' starting pitcher Alex Holmes helped out her own cause with a solo homer over the temporary fences in left field.
A fielding error in the third allowed the Aggies to plate two unearned runs, as Paine reached base on the errant play. Two batters later, designated player Rachel Miller singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw to third, giving UC Davis a pair of runners in scoring position.
And the Aggies were able to quickly cash in on the scoring opportunity, as Erin Emde doubled to center field, scoring both runners on the first baseman's two base hit, which pushed UC Davis' lead to four runs, 4-0.
Liberty broke up Holmes' bid for a no-hitter in the fourth, when Jenny Law got her first collegiate hit with a single up the middle to lead off the frame. After moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt, Law was tagged out at third base on a fielder's choice play to end Liberty's first scoring threat of the contest.
Another Lady Flames' rookie notched her first hit in a Liberty uniform in the fifth frame, but shortstop Kelly Strickland's base hit up the middle would prove no avail for the Lady Flames.
The score remained the same until the top of the seventh, when Miller led off the frame with a double to center field. After a pair of groundouts moved the designated player to third base, Miller was able to cross the plate on an infield single off the bat of Kelly Harman to push UC Davis' lead to 5-0.
The Lady Flames tried to rally in the seventh, as J'nae Jefferson opened the bottom half of the seventh by reaching base on an infield error. The junior managed to move up two bases on a pair of wild pitches, but was left stranded when relief pitcher Nicole Kociemba got Ashley Bensinger to line out to third base.
Holmes outdueled Smith in the pair of sophomore hurler matchups, as she scattered two hits over six innings of work, while fanning 11 batters to improve to 1-0 on the year.
Smith, looking to pick up a victory on her birthday, wasn't able to find the present she was looking for, as the right-hander allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on 10 hits during the complete-game effort.
Paine and Miller paced UC Davis' 10 hit attack, as Paine was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, while Miller was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Law and Strickland accounted for the lone base knocks for Liberty against the Aggies, with Law finishing the contest 1-for-3 and Strickland going 1-for-2 during her plate appearances.
The Lady Flames will wrap up their second stint in the state of California tomorrow, when they square off against No. 24 Long Beach State. The contest will be played at the Big League Dreams replica Wrigley Field and is slated to begin at 11 a.m., local time.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HOLMES, Alex (1-0)
L: Smith, Tiffani (0-2)
Batting:
2B: MILLER, Rachel 1 ; EMDE, Erin 1 ; ARAUJO, Marissa 1
HR: HOLMES, Alex 1
RBI: PAINE, Belinda 1 ; EMDE, Erin 2 ; HOLMES, Alex 1 ; HARMAN, Kelly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: STAUDER, Julie 1 ; PAINE, Belinda 1 ; MILLER, Rachel 2 ; HOLMES, Alex 1
SB: STAUDER, Julie 1 ; GONZALEZ, Jessica 1
Batting:
SH: McMillon, Keely 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
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