University of Albany's Connors and Butsch Hit Solo Home Runs to Power Softball Past Akron, 3-1 - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Woodstock, Ga. – Meagan Butsch and Michelle Connors hit back-to-back solo home runs to propel the UAlbany softball team to a 3-1 victory over Akron at Georgia Tech’s Buzz Classic on Sunday morning. The Great Danes finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, which placed them fourth. Host Georgia Tech won the tournament after finishing 4-1 overall, as the Yellow Jackets won a five-way tiebreaker based on run differential.

Akron (8-9) got on the scoreboard first when Julie Boyes, the squad’s 6-foot-2 designated player, hit her third home run of the season in the top half of the fourth inning. It also ended pitcher Leah McIntosh’s streak of 39 consecutive innings without allowing a run.

However, UAlbany was able to tie up the score in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly to left by Kat Smith. Connors’ first home run of the season in the sixth put the Great Danes ahead, and Butsch deposited the ball over the fence on the next play to give the squad all the insurance it needed to win its fourth game of the tournament.

UAlbany’s Leah McIntosh was credited with the victory, improving to 8-0 on the mound this season. She allowed only three hits, one run and one walk while striking out 10. The junior was named to the all-tournament team after finishing the weekend with a 3-0 ledger and an 0.47 earned run average. She recorded 29 strikeouts in 19 innings of work as opposing teams were held to an .097 batting average. She issued only walk.

Akron’s Andrea Arney went 5.2 innings and dropped to 3-6 with the loss. She struck out four while allowing five hits and three runs which were all earned. The freshman was relieved by Heather Bauer, who allowed one hit and recorded the final out of the ballgame.

UAlbany (10-7) will compete at the Winthrop/adidas Invitational on March 13-14. The squad will open up play on Friday against Brown at 1 p.m. and USC-Upstate at 5 p.m.

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Akron (8-9) 000 100 0 1 3 0
UAlbany (10-7) 000 012 x 3 6 0

UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith. Akron: Andrea Arney and Sarah Stromack.

2009 Buzz Classic Team Finishes (Top Five of 19):

1. Georgia Tech 4-1
2. Purdue 4-1
3. Austin Peay 4-1
4. UAlbany 4-1
5. Centenary 4-1

2009 Buzz Classic All-Tournament Team:

Tiffany Johnson, Georgia Tech
Heather Bauer, Akron
Leah McIntosh, UAlbany
Abby Mabry, Austin Peay
Taylor Peyton, Boston College
Susan Sontag, Bowling Green
Allison Shepperd, Centenary
Tara Vincent, Florida A&M
adi Gore, Georgia State
Carly Martin, Howard
Darcy Wood, Indiana State
Ashley Eliasson, Jacksonville State
April Harper, Kennesaw State
Amanda Santa Maria, Mercer
Suzie Rzegocki, Purdue
Brooke Gates, Toledo
Jenny Bain, Tennessee Martin
Rachelle Boucher, Western Kentucky
Lisa Kingsmore, Winthrop