Feb. 24, 2008

Box Score

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - (Sunday, February 24, 2008) The Redhawks softball team closed the Blues City Classic in fine fashion with a 15-0 rout of Alabama A&M Sunday morning at Greenbrook Park. The team banged-out 14 hits and finished the Classic with a 2-3 record to finish fourth in the six-team tournament.

The Redhawks (5-5) made short work of the Bulldogs (1-5) thanks to the arm of senior ace Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North) and the bats of the whole starting lineup as every starter recorded a hit including four batters that collected multiple hits.

The Redhawks nearly batted around three times in a 14-run second inning that featured three homeruns. Jennifer Vasquez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado) got things started with a single to left field to lead-off the inning. Alex Ramirez (Corona, CA/El Modena) was hit by a pitch and shortly joined Vasquez at home when freshman Carmen Fowler (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill) blasted a three-run blast over the centerfield fence.

Back-to-back walks to Allie Borowiak (Nashville, IL/John A. Logan CC) and Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) followed the Fowler homerun. Katie Otterness (Schaumburg, IL/Hoffman Estates) then legged-out an infield single to load the bases. Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO/Cape Central) then singled to left to plate Borowiak to make it 4-0.

Stacia Dopudja (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Santa Margarita Catholic) then singled to left to bring home Summers and Otterness. Vasquez collected her second single of the inning to load the bases once again. Ramirez then singled to left to bring McDonald and Dopudja home to extend the lead to 8-0.

Junior Lauren Bradley (Overland Park, KS/Shawnee Mission South) then cleared the bases with a three-run shot to centerfield to make it 11-0. Fowler wasn't done in teh inning either as she collected her second extra base hit of the inning driving a double to right center. Borowiak then hit her first D-I homerun of her career with a two-run shot to left field.

Summers followed the Borowiak homerun with her second hit of the inning with a single and later advanced to second on a passed ball. Otterness the doubled in Summers for the final run of the inning.

Collectively the Redhawks scored 14 runs on 12 hits. Five of those 12 hits when for extra bases including the three homeruns.

In the third the Redhawks added one more run off the bat of Bradley who singled in Vasquez for the final deficit of 15-0.

Fisher (3-3) didn't need much as she pitched a gem in evening her record for the year. She allowed only three hist in picking up her fifth complete game in six starts this season. It was also her second shutout of the year. She struckout four and didn't issue a walk in five innings pitched.

In a game of many offensive standouts Bradley shined the brightest as she went 2-3 with a career-high four RBIs. Fowler went a perfect 2-2 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Otterness collected her second perfect day at the plate with a 3-3 performance. Vasquez went 2-4 with three runs scored.

For their play in the Classic Fisher and McDonald were each named to the All-Tournament Team. For the second-straight season McDonald was honored as an All-Tournament selection. She batted .438 (7-16) with two homeruns, five RBIs, five runs scored and a .875 slugging percentage.

Despite a 1-2 record during the classic she recorded an ERA of 0.81 allowing only two earned runs in 17.1 innings pitched. She made four appearances and finished all three games she started. She struckout 13 batters and yielded only three walks while holding opposing batters to a .200 average.

The Redhawks make their first appearance at home this weekend when they host the annual All-Missouri Coaches Against Cancer Tournament. The University of Missouri-Kansas City, Saint Louis University and Missouri State will all make appearances at the Southeast Softball Complex. The Redhawks will play two games on Saturday, March 1. They take on UMKC at 10:00 a.m. and then face SLU at 2:00 p.m. On Sunday the Redhawks face MSU at 12:00 p.m. before playing in either the championship game or the consolation game.