April 3, 2008

BC's Gage Pitches Complete Game Shutout Against Connecticut

STORRS, Conn. - Head coach Jen Finley picked up her 20th win of the season and her 351st school victory as the Boston College softball team (20-17, 2-4 ACC) beat the home team Connecticut Huskies (11-12, 1-1 Big East) by a score of 6-0 Wednesday afternoon.

Freshman pitcher Allison Gage (9-10) pitched a seven-inning shutout to lift the Eagles, facing 27 batters, allowing just eight hits and striking out one. She now has a team-high three shutouts of the season and has pitched nine complete games.

Offensively, the Eagles were led by junior Renee Ramos and sophomore Dani Weir, driving in two runs each. Ramos now leads the team with 25 RBIs and Weir follows behind with 18 RBIs on the season.

BC took the early lead, putting two runs across in the top of the second inning. In the third at-bat of the inning, Weir knocked a two-run homerun to left field, scoring pinch runner Lisa Omoto.

Seminoles Shutout Rattlers At Home

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In the second meeting between the teams this season, the Florida State softball team shutout Florida A&M 18-0 on JoAnne Graf Field on Wednesday, April 2. The Seminoles tied their all-time high of 18 runs in a single game, a record originally set against FAMU back in 2002. Florida State is now 30-13 on the season while the Rattlers fall to 10-27.

Freshman pitcher Sarah Hamilton takes the win as she leads the Seminoles to their largest winning margin since 1987 when FSU beat the Rattlers with a 17 run victory. Hamilton was one hit away from a perfect game as she stuck out seven batters in five innings to improve to 7-1 this season.

Leading on offense was sophomore Carly Wynn who was a perfect 4-for-4, one hit being a two-run homer over the centerfield wall, while scoring three runs and recording three RBI's. Wynn is now hitting a .370 average on the season after 27 games.

Maryland Softball Shuts Down Delaware State in Doubleheader

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior Sarah Dooley pitched a one-hitter as the University of Maryland softball team defeated Delaware State, 2-0, on Wednesday afternoon. In the second game, senior Sarde Stewart hit a three-run home run and sophomore Lindsey Wright pitched a three-hit complete game as the Terps completed the sweep, 4-1. Maryland improved to 25-9 on the season.

In the first game, Dooley (11-7) struck out seven batters with no walks while only allowing one hit, in the third inning. The Hornets did not advance a runner past second base.

In the third inning, Kerry Hickey singled home Krista Gould and Jenny Belak with two outs to give the Terps a 2-0 lead. Hickey now has 26 RBI on the season to lead the Terps.

Delaware State starter Brittney Ruark (6-8) limited the Terps to just two singles, Hickey's in the third and one to Breanna Shaw in the sixth.

Virginia Splits with Longwood

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Virginia softball team (12-24) split a doubleheader with Longwood (20-13) Wednesday at Lancer Field in Farmville, Va. The Cavaliers won the first game 3-0 but fell in the second game, 5-3.

Fourth-year hurler Karla Wilburn threw a one-hit shutout, her second of the season, in game one. After giving up a hit to Longwood leadoff hitter Caitlin Hooe in the bottom of the first, Wilburn and the Cavalier defense sat down the next 20 batters en route to the shutout.

The Cavaliers tallied seven hits in the first game, including a 2-for-4 performance at the plate from first-year Alison Pittman. Pittman belted her first triple of the year and also had a single in the winning effort. Lindsey Preuss hit her fifth home run of the season and Lauren McCaskey also doubled. Meghan O'Leary, Carly Winger and Sarah Tacke all had singles for the Orange and Blue.

No. 16 Tar Heels Split Against Pirates

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 16 North Carolina softball team dropped its first game in a month when the Tar Heels split a midweek doubleheader with visiting East Carolina on Wednesday. Carolina (33-7-1) took the opener 3-1 before East Carolina (25-16) ended the Tar Heels' 19-game winning streak with a 3-2 win. Carolina will look to bounce back and extend its ACC lead with a three-game series at Boston College.

Amber Johnson opened the game in impressive fashion for Carolina as she set the first three batters she faced all down on strikes. Breanna Brown kept the hot start going when she led off the bottom of the first inning with a blast to center field for her second home run in as many games. Brown's solo shot was the first leadoff home run for the Tar Heels this season. The Pirates would even the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth with a home run of their own. An East Carolina error and a pair of walks would load the bases in the bottom half of the fourth but Carolina was unable to push across the go ahead run.