University of Albany Softball Sweeps Competition on First Day of Georgia Tech's Buzz Classic - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Woodstock, Ga. – Leah McIntosh pitched her fourth consecutive shutout and Andrianna Walraven went 3-for-6 and recorded her first career home run to power the UAlbany softball team to a pair of victories to open up play at Georgia Tech’s Buzz Classic on Friday, March 6. The Great Danes defeated Centenary, 3-0, in the first game and Jacksonville State, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference champions, by a score of 8-6 to close out the afternoon.

UAlbany did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard in the first game against Centenary (11-7), as Walraven led off the contest with her first career home run to straightaway center. The Great Danes added two more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Jessica Bergin, who went 2-for-3 in the game with a stolen base, started the frame with a double to left. After Kat Smith sacrificed her over to third, Bergin scored on a squeeze play courtesy of a bunt single by Nicole Kothe. Walraven then kept the inning alive when she singled down the left field line to plate Kothe, recording her second hit and RBI of the contest.

Working with a three-run lead, McIntosh continued to put together a perfect game until Katie Matthews reached on a bunt single to the pitcher with one out in the bottom of the sixth frame. The junior responded by fanning the next batter. Caitlin Cavarra then took the first pitch she saw to center for a single, but McIntosh retired the next batter to keep the Ladies off the board. Despite a leadoff double by Allison Shepherd in the bottom of the seventh, the Great Danes were able to record the three-run win.

UAlbany’s McIntosh improved her record to a perfect 6-0 by recording her fifth shutout of the season. She also lowered her earned run average to 0.22, having not allowed a run to score in 30.2 straight innings. The junior struck out 10 batters while surrendering three hits and no walks. Centenary’s Jessica Bock also went the distance, fanning two batters. She surrendered eight hits, two walks and three runs which were all earned.

In the second game, junior hurler Marissa Powell and the Great Danes were able to improve to 2-0 in the tournament with the win over Jacksonville State. It marked the second time this season that UAlbany defeated a squad which advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

After the Gamecocks pushed one run across the scoreboard in the top of the first, UAlbany responded with one run in the bottom half of the opening inning, and added another four in the second. Meagan Butsch started the scoring by doubling in the first Great Dane run. Batting with the bases loaded in the second, Kristine Bill singled in two more runners. Michelle Connors then plated Bill and Walraven on a double to right center.

Jacksonville State (11-5) rallied back by scoring two runs in the third and three in the fourth to take a 6-5 advantage, Allie Barker blasted a two-run homer over the fence in right center in the third to cut the Great Dane lead to a pair of runs. A triple to right center by Jackie Jarman tied the score at five, and a single to left by Mary Beth Ledbetter on the next play put the Gamecocks ahead.

The lead for Jacksonville State did not last very long, as the Great Danes added three runs in the bottom of the fourth to get all the insurance they would need to avenge an 11-5 loss to the Gamecocks earlier this season. Walraven tripled in the sixth run to tie up the score, and came home on a sacrifice fly by Bill. A few batters later, Butsch singled in another run to seal the final outcome.

UAlbany’s Marissa Powell, who was credited with the loss to the Gamecocks earlier this season, went the distance to improve to 2-6 this spring. She recorded eight strikeouts while allowing nine hits and one walk. Five of the six runs were earned. Kelly McGregor started the game for Jacksonville State and surrendered two hits and four runs which were earned in 1.1 innings. She was relieved by Melissa Dowling, who was credited with the loss to drop to 4-1 this season after giving up seven hits and four runs in three innings. Karla Pittman closed out the game for the Gamecocks, and did not allow any hits or runs in 1.2 innings of work.

UAlbany (8-6) will continue competing at Georgia Tech’s Buzz Classic on Saturday, March 7. The Great Danes will face Bowling Green at 11 a.m. and Kennesaw State at 6 p.m.

-agate-

UAlbany 100 002 0 3 8 0

Centenary (11-7) 000 000 0 0 3 0

UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith. Centenary: Jessica Bock and Haley Bassett.



Jacksonville State (11-5) 102 300 0 6 9 2

UAlbany (8-6) 140 300 x 8 9 1

UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Kat Smith. Jacksonville State: Melissa Dowling and Allie Barker.