Liberty University
2-5
UMBC
1-1
Liberty Posts 12-0 Shutout Win Over UMBC
2/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Liberty jumped ahead early, and used a nine-run fifth inning to back Alyssa DiMartino's seven-hit shutout, defeating UMBC, 12-0, in five innings on Saturday in Wilmington, N.C.
With the win, Liberty's second of the day at the Seahawk Invitational, the Lady Flames now hold a 2-5 record. UMBC sits at 1-1 after splitting a pair of games on Saturday.
Liberty recorded a season-high seven stolen bases, the most by a Liberty team since March 19, 2002 versus Fairleigh Dickinson.
DiMartino (1-1) went the distance, pitching her first career shutout while allowing seven hits, striking out one and walking one in five innings of work.
Nicole Casagrand (0-1) drew the loss, allowing eight runs, seven earned on 10 hits in four innings pitched. Miranda Clark yielded four runs (three earned), walking five in 1/3 inning.
Liberty's Hanna Nichols went a career-best 4-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs. Blair Lawrence posted her first career three-hit game, going 3-for-3. Katie Zavodny hit 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs scored, and Kelby Allen drove in two runs.
Danielle O'Neill batted 3-for-3 with a double for UMBC, and four additional Retrievers had one hit apiece.
Liberty got off to a quick start, scoring twice in the first inning. Zavodny and Lawrence hit consecutive singles. Allen hit an RBI groundout, and Nichols then laced a single to left to plate Lawrence for a 2-0 lead. Casagrand got out of the inning with a pair of outs.
DiMartino worked through a jam in the bottom of the first, as UMBC recorded a pair of base hits.
The Lady Flames added one run with a two-out rally during the second. Sciolino reached on an error and stole second. Zavodny then hit a flare to short which was dropped, allowing Sciolino to cross the plate with Liberty's third run.
UMBC received a leadoff baserunner in the third inning, when Caitlin Chance singled. Taylor Hall then grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. After an O'Neill double, a flyout ended the inning.
Following a scoreless fourth inning, Liberty broke the game wide open with nine tallies in the top of the fifth. Zavodny singled and stole second to lead off. After a single and steal by Lawrence, Allen plated Zavodny with a single. Allen then hit a two-run single, making it 7-0. Grace Nordan drove in Nichols with a double. Clark entered the circle in relief of Casagrand, but allowed five walks and threw four wild pitches, allowing four additional runs as Liberty took a 12-0 lead.
The Retrievers threatened during the bottom of the fifth frame, loading the bases with one out. DiMartino finished off the shutout by getting Jordan Sganga to line into a 9-3 double play.
Liberty will close out its time in Wilmington, N.C., tomorrow, competing against tournament host UNCW at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DiMartino, Alyssa (1-1)
L: Casagrand, Nicole (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Nordan, Grace 1
RBI: Allen, Kelby 2 ; Nichols, Hanna 4 ; Nordan, Grace 1 ; Sciolino, Marybeth 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zavodny, Katie 2 ; Lawrence, Blair 2 ; Allen, Kelby 1 ; Nichols, Hanna 1 ; Nordan, Grace 1 ; Brown, Michele 1 ; Han, Katie 1 ; Cooper, Cortney 1 ; Sciolino, Marybeth 2
SB: Zavodny, Katie 2 ; Lawrence, Blair 1 ; Allen, Kelby 1 ; Brown, Michele 1 ; Han, Katie 1 ; Sciolino, Marybeth 1
CS: Zavodny, Katie 1
Batting:
2B: O'Neill, Danielle 1
