Softball Opens 2010 Season With Two Losses at Stetson's Hatter Classic

DeLand, Fla. - Pitcher Allison Garcia homered in the top of the fifth inning in leading Bethune-Cookman to a 2-1 victory over UAlbany at the Stetson Hatter Classic on Friday, Feb. 26. The Great Danes also dropped a 4-0 decision to Boston College earlier in the day.

Bethune-Cookman (3-7) plated an early run in the top of the first. Ashton Hinds earned a free pass to start the game. Aurelia Gamch reached on a fielder's choice to the pitcher, which allowed Hinds to take second. Cesley Tafoya, who was batting with no outs, plated Hinds on a single to center to put the Wildcats ahead by a run.

In a wild string of events, UAlbany tied the game in the bottom of the third. After Diane MacDowell walked with one out, Andrianna Walraven reached on a bunt single to third base. Walraven was gunned down while trying to advance to second, but MacDowell was able to score on the play. The next batter struck out swinging to end the frame.

UAlbany attempted to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of a pair of singles by Gina Mason and Kylie Apostolina, who was making her collegiate debut. However, with runners on first and second and two outs, Garcia got out of trouble in the circle by forcing Michelle Connors to fly out to left.

After finishing the fourth frame unscathed, Garcia helped herself out by homering to left in the top of the fifth. UAlbany put runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings, but could not score the equalizing run. Apostolina, who reached first to open the seventh on an error by the first baseman, was stranded at third when pinch hitter Bailey Van Deest grounded out to second to end the game.

Garcia threw a complete game and allowed three hits and one run to score while fanning eight batters to garner the win for Bethune-Cookman. Allie Weiser, who was making her collegiate debut for UAlbany, also went the distance. She allowed six hits, two runs and struck out three.

In game one, Boston College (3-2) put two unearned runs on the board in the second inning to break a scoreless tie. Nicole D'Argento hit a one-out double to right center to plate Amy Tunstall, who singled and advanced to second on a passed ball, for the first run. A fielding error on the next play allowed D'Argento to score on the next play. BC put two runners in scoring position on a double to right by Wilkins, but Marissa Powell was able to get out of the jam by forcing Rene Delagrammaticas to fly out to left.

After the Eagles added two insurance runs in the fifth on a home run by Weir to left center, the Great Danes threatened to score in the top of the seventh thanks to a double to right center by Nicole Kothe. However, D'Argento sat down the next two batters to seal the win.

D'Argentno tossed a complete game shutout for the Eagles, allowing two hits while striking out nine to earn the win. Powell allowed seven hits and fanned two batters for UAlbany. Two of the four runs she allowed were unearned.

UAlbany (0-2) returns to action at the Stetson Hatter Classic tomorrow afternoon when it faces Bethune-Cookman at 11 a.m. and Stetson at 4 p.m.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information