March 9, 2007

Box Score

DeLand, Fla. - The Wildcats softball team was unable to collect back-to-back wins, but they did get a split on Friday with an 11-1 win over Mount St. Mary's and a 4-2 setback to North Florida on the first day of the Stetson University Tournament in nearby DeLand, Fla.

Participating in the event for the first time, Bethune-Cookman University started off the day with an impressive 11-1 victory over Mount St. Mary's in the opening game of the day's events.

B-CU (8-14) started off the game with six runs in the opening two innings. Breanna Shaw started things off with a single to left field for the first hit for the `Cats, and eventually she stole second base to move into scoring position. Junior shortstop Holley Bussey then plated Shaw with an RBI single right back up the middle. Wildcats starting pitcher Lanaya Jenkins secured one of her two (2) RBI hits on the day with a single to center field to score Christina Trimble from second base.

With the `Cats leading 2-0 going into the second inning, B-CU decided to plate four more runs in the frame.

Breanna Shaw continued her hitting streak at four (4) games when she blasted her second homerun of the year when she sent a Reanna Tuczynski pitch over the left field wall to score three runs. Ariel Robinson and Trashonda Coven were each on base safely following an error and a single. Shaterra Davis scored later in the inning when first baseman Brandi Holley singled up the middle. Davis got herself into scoring position earlier in the inning with a double to right center.

B-CU led 6-0 after two innings of softball in the books.

The `Cats would score four more runs in the fourth inning for a 10-1 lead.

In that inning, Wildcats head coach Chris Cochran executed a perfect double-steal with catcher Andrea Thomas taking home plate as Coven broke for second base. Mount St. Mary's (3-5) catcher Amanda Burk was caught off guard in her throw out to second base.

The `Cats plated another run in the fifth frame for the run-rule contest as Bussey double and later scored off relief pitcher Laura Dillon with the help of a Holley double for the 11-1 final.

Mount St. Mary's got their lone score of the contest in the third inning as an error and a wild pitch allowed Lisa Curreri to advance to third base. Allie Vadas reached safely one batter later with an error on the B-CU infield that allowed Curreri to score on the errant play.

Jenkins picked up the win to improve to 3-7 on the year, while Mount St. Mary's Tuczynski dropped her record to 1-3 on the campaign.

Shaw led the B-CU offense with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate that included a homerun and three RBI. Bussey also went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI of her own. Meanwhile, B-CU first baseman Brandi Holley was a fiery 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. In the second game, the contest a tight affair right down to the final at-bat.

The University of North Florida (11-10) started off the game with a 1-0 lead in the top-half of the opening frame as centerfielder Christina Evans scored the game's opening run as she was plated with a double from Heather Hyde.

B-CU countered in the bottom-half of the inning with two scores from Shaw and Bussey.

Christina Trimble's single and Brandi Holley's sacrifice bunt allowed the runners to score for the 2-1 lead in favor of the Wildcats.

The Ospreys of UNF answered the call to tie the score at 2-2 in the third inning.

Hyde started things off with a single and moved into scoring position with an errant throw by the B-CU defense. Elizabeth Howell plated Hyde for the tying score with an RBI single up the middle that made its way out to the outfield grass.

The Ospreys moved out in front 3-2 in the fourth inning when they got to Jenkins once again as a series of wild pitches put two players into scoring position at second and third, respectively. The `Cats defense answered the call to allow just one run to cross as catcher Kelli Rutenbar scored on a double from Evans.

UNF got a security run in the seventh frame as Ashley Parenteau singled through the left side to get on board, while teammate Kara Rutenbar tripled her home with a shot to right center that escaped past the glove of B-CU centerfielder Ariel Robinson.

B-CU was unable to get runs across in the bottom of the inning as UNF escaped with the 4-2 victory.

Christina Trimble helped the `Cats out at the plate with two hits in three trips as well as one RBI.

The `Cats were just unable to get to UNF pitcher Tori Ahern as she allowed just three hits and two runs (both earned) and striking out six batters. She picked up the win in the complete game to improve her record to 2-4 on the year.

Jenkins took the loss to drop her mark down to 4-8 for the season. UNF was led at the plate by Evans and Hyde who each went 2-for-3 with one run scored and an RBI to boot, respectively.

The `Cats will return to the western half of Volusia County tomorrow when they face host Stetson University and Temple University back in DeLand, Fla. For a full recap of the tournament events and results, please locate your internet browser to www.GoHatters.com, the official website of Stetson university athletics.