Wednesday, April 1
Charlottesville, Va.
4:00 PM
Liberty University
11-20
1
at
2
Virginia
22-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Virginia Escapes with Extra-Inning Victory
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Liberty jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, but runs by homestanding Virginia in the sixth and eighth frames secured a 2-1, opening-game victory over the visiting the Lady Flames, Wednesday evening, at The Park in a midweek doubleheader.
The victory, Virginia's third in a row and 10 out of 12 at home this season, ups the Cavaliers' mark to 22-9 on the season. The loss drops Liberty to 11-20.
The Lady Flames took the game's first lead in the top of the second, as Kaylee West led of the frame with a single up the middle. However, the freshman was erased at second on a fielder's choice play off the bat of Amber DePasquale.
But the starting centerfield atoned for the at bat, swiping her third base of the year to move into scoring position. Beth Bennett quickly followed, driving in the sophomore with a double to the center field, the senior's seventh two-base hit of the year, staking the Lady Flames to the early one-run advantage, 1-0.
The Lady Flames threatened to widen their lead in the top of the fifth inning, as Meredith Baisden and Keely McMillon singled to give the visitors a pair of base runners. But Karla Wilburn got J'nae Jefferson and Danielle Howard to foul out, halting Liberty's push.
Starting pitcher Tiffani Smith held Virginia hitless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Abby Snyder singled to left to erase the zero from the hit column on the scoreboard.
A fielding error by Liberty in the sixth gave Virginia its first true scoring opportunity of the game, as leadoff hitter Alison Pittman began the frame by reaching first on an infield miscue.
Giannina Cipolloni followed with a bunt single down the first base line. Carly Winger kept the bunt theme alive for the Cavaliers, dropping a sacrifice bunt just in front of the circle to advance both runners into scoring position.
After intentionally walking Sarah Tacke to load the bases, Smith induced a ground ball, but Kelly Strickland was unable to make the play, allowing Pittman to score and knot the game at one run apiece, 1-1.
Both teams had chances during their respective seventh-inning frames, as each team got two base runners on the bags. But neither could capitalize, sending Liberty into its fourth extra-inning game of the year and the second post seven-inning game in 2009 for Virginia.
Liberty managed to advance Jefferson, its international tiebreaker runner, to third on the second out of the top of the eighth. But DePasquale flied out to center, leaving the game tied.
Winger was placed at second and Sarah Ellis was brought to try to give Liberty's offense one more chance by keeping the game at 1-1.
Ellis, who currently ranks second in program history with eight career saves, kept the Cavaliers from recording a hit. However, back-to-back sacrifice bunts allowed Winger to score and give the home team its first extra-inning victory of the season.
Wilburn went the distance for Virginia, methodically scattering seven hits over eight innings of work, walking one and fanning two to up her record to 16-4 on the season.
Ellis was the tough-luck loser, surrendering the team unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning to fall to 5-13 in 2009. Smith hit double figures in strikeouts for the third time this year, setting down 10 batters, while surrendering a run on two hits during seven innings.
West helped the Lady Flames reach the seven-hit mark for the ninth time this season, batting 2-of-4 in the No. 4 slot of the batting order.
Howard, Bennett, Baisden, Strickland and McMillon scattered the remaining five hits among the line, with Bennett (1-for-3) driving in the lone Liberty run. Jefferson saw her season-leading, five-game hitting streak come to an end, as the junior finished 0-for-3 from the dish.
The Cavaliers mustered just a pair of hits during the eight-inning game, as Cipolloni was 1-for-4 and Snyder finished the game 1-for-3, Clara Kendall tallied both RBIs for Virgina.
The Lady Flames and the Cavaliers will finish off the midweek, non-conference doubleheader later on this evening with a second game at the Park.
The victory, Virginia's third in a row and 10 out of 12 at home this season, ups the Cavaliers' mark to 22-9 on the season. The loss drops Liberty to 11-20.
The Lady Flames took the game's first lead in the top of the second, as Kaylee West led of the frame with a single up the middle. However, the freshman was erased at second on a fielder's choice play off the bat of Amber DePasquale.
But the starting centerfield atoned for the at bat, swiping her third base of the year to move into scoring position. Beth Bennett quickly followed, driving in the sophomore with a double to the center field, the senior's seventh two-base hit of the year, staking the Lady Flames to the early one-run advantage, 1-0.
The Lady Flames threatened to widen their lead in the top of the fifth inning, as Meredith Baisden and Keely McMillon singled to give the visitors a pair of base runners. But Karla Wilburn got J'nae Jefferson and Danielle Howard to foul out, halting Liberty's push.
Starting pitcher Tiffani Smith held Virginia hitless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Abby Snyder singled to left to erase the zero from the hit column on the scoreboard.
A fielding error by Liberty in the sixth gave Virginia its first true scoring opportunity of the game, as leadoff hitter Alison Pittman began the frame by reaching first on an infield miscue.
Giannina Cipolloni followed with a bunt single down the first base line. Carly Winger kept the bunt theme alive for the Cavaliers, dropping a sacrifice bunt just in front of the circle to advance both runners into scoring position.
After intentionally walking Sarah Tacke to load the bases, Smith induced a ground ball, but Kelly Strickland was unable to make the play, allowing Pittman to score and knot the game at one run apiece, 1-1.
Both teams had chances during their respective seventh-inning frames, as each team got two base runners on the bags. But neither could capitalize, sending Liberty into its fourth extra-inning game of the year and the second post seven-inning game in 2009 for Virginia.
Liberty managed to advance Jefferson, its international tiebreaker runner, to third on the second out of the top of the eighth. But DePasquale flied out to center, leaving the game tied.
Winger was placed at second and Sarah Ellis was brought to try to give Liberty's offense one more chance by keeping the game at 1-1.
Ellis, who currently ranks second in program history with eight career saves, kept the Cavaliers from recording a hit. However, back-to-back sacrifice bunts allowed Winger to score and give the home team its first extra-inning victory of the season.
Wilburn went the distance for Virginia, methodically scattering seven hits over eight innings of work, walking one and fanning two to up her record to 16-4 on the season.
Ellis was the tough-luck loser, surrendering the team unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning to fall to 5-13 in 2009. Smith hit double figures in strikeouts for the third time this year, setting down 10 batters, while surrendering a run on two hits during seven innings.
West helped the Lady Flames reach the seven-hit mark for the ninth time this season, batting 2-of-4 in the No. 4 slot of the batting order.
Howard, Bennett, Baisden, Strickland and McMillon scattered the remaining five hits among the line, with Bennett (1-for-3) driving in the lone Liberty run. Jefferson saw her season-leading, five-game hitting streak come to an end, as the junior finished 0-for-3 from the dish.
The Cavaliers mustered just a pair of hits during the eight-inning game, as Cipolloni was 1-for-4 and Snyder finished the game 1-for-3, Clara Kendall tallied both RBIs for Virgina.
The Lady Flames and the Cavaliers will finish off the midweek, non-conference doubleheader later on this evening with a second game at the Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Karla Wilburn (16-4)
L: Ellis, Sarah (5-13)
Batting:
2B: Bennett, Beth 1
RBI: Bennett, Beth 1
SH: Hendrix, Cassie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DePasquale, Amber 1
SB: Law, Jenny 1 ; DePasquale, Amber 1
Batting:
RBI: Clara Kendall 2
SH: Carly Winger 1 ; Sarah Tacke 1 ; Clara Kendall 1 ; Rachel Harvey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alison Pittman 1 ; Carly Winger 1
SB: Alison Pittman 1
HBP: Alison Pittman 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
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