University of Albany Softball Sweeps Siena College In Doubleheader Again Behind McIntosh and Powell Shutouts - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Junior pitchers Leah McIntosh and Marissa each threw a shutout in the circle in leading the UAlbany softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Siena in the home opener at Albany Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Great Danes, who extended their home winning streak in the regular season to 15 games, won both contests by identical scores of 2-0.

After McIntosh struck out the side in the top half of the first inning, UAlbany got all the scoring it needed in the bottom half of the opening frame. Andrianna Walraven was hit by a pitch to start the game, and then stole second. Kristine Bill followed up with a single to right center, and advanced to second base on the throw home by center fielder Jenny McNulty to keep Walraven at third. Michelle Connors then got hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Walraven made it home for the first run on a sacrifice fly to center by Meagan Butsch.

Pitcher Jamie Piela continued to have trouble settling down on the mound, hitting Gina Mason with a pitch to load the bases for the second time in the stanza. Two batters later, Katie Wambold walked to force in the second run. Piela, who gave up only three hits the rest of the way, avoided any further damage by inducing a groundout to retire the side. A pitcher’s dual ensued between McIntosh and Piela, but the Great Danes held on for the win.

UAlbany’s McIntosh improved to 10-0 this season with the victory and dropped her earned run average to 0.42. She recorded nine strikeouts while only giving up four hits and one walk. Siena’s Piela fell to 1-4 with the loss. She surrendered four hits, two runs which were earned and one walk.

In game two, UAlbany got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when Meagan Butsch knocked out a home run to straightaway center. After only recording a bunt single in the top of the first, Siena (2-11) got a spark offensively in the top half of the fifth when Amanda Filipazzo led off with a double to center. However, Marissa Powell, who recorded her first shutout of the season, was able to get out of trouble with some help from catcher Kat Smith after Fillipazzo advanced to third on a groundout by Lindsey McKeever.

Batting with two outs, Courtney Brinkman popped up a pitch in foul territory that appeared to be headed towards the stands behind home plate. However, it dropped just short and was caught by Smith at the fence to end the inning.

The Great Danes added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Diane MacDowell led off with a bunt single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She made it over to third when Walraven grounded out to second on the next play, and scored on a single up the middle by Kristine Bill. Powell took care of the rest by retiring the side in order in the seventh, as the Great Danes captured their seventh victory in the last eight tries.

UAlbany’s Powell improved to 3-7 with the victory. She struck out six while scattering just two hits and inducing only one walk. Siena’s Filipazzo fell to 1-4 with the loss despite striking out five and only surrendering two runs which were earned along with four hits.

UAlbany (13-7) opens up America East Conference play this weekend on the road against Boston University. Last year, the Great Danes swept the three-game series between the teams at Albany Field to clinch the regular season title. The two squads will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28 beginning at 1 p.m. The series finale will start at noon on Sunday, March 29.


Siena 000 000 0 0 4 0
UAlbany 200 000 x 2 4 0

UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith
Siena: Jamie Piela and Nastasha Powlowsky

Siena 000 000 0 0 2 0
UAlbany 010 001 x 2 4 1

UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Kat Smith.
Siena: Amanda Filipazzo and Nastasha Powlowsky.

Georgia Tech & South Florida Tournaments Highlight UAlbany's 2009 Softball Schedule

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced today the University at Albany’s 2009 softball schedule. The Great Danes, who have won three America East Conference tournament championships and captured last year’s regular-season crown, will most notably compete in the University of South Florida Wilson Tournament before opening up their 22-game slate against league opponents.

UAlbany kicks off the season at the Stetson Leadoff Classic on Feb. 13-15 in a tournament which will also feature Bethune-Cookman and the host school. The Hatters, who won the 2007 Atlantic Sun championship and advanced to the title game last year, won 43 games in 2008. The Florida trip concludes on Feb. 18 when the Great Danes will play a doubleheader against the Ospreys of North Florida, winners of 39 games last season.

The Great Danes will arguably face its most challenging set of games at the University of South Florida Wilson Tournament on Feb. 20-22. After opening up against Eastern Michigan and Rhode Island, UAlbany will face 2008 NCAA Tournament participants Louisville, South Florida and Jacksonville State consecutively. UAlbany will play in two more tournaments at Georgia Tech (March 6-8) and Winthrop (March 13-14).

After playing a single game at George Mason on March 15, the Great Danes will make their first appearance at Albany Field on March 25 against crosstown-rival Siena to start a home-and-home series which will conclude on the Loudonville campus on Apr. 28. UAlbany has won five straight and six of the last games against the Saints.

The Great Danes will host America East opponents Hartford (Apr. 4-5), UMBC (Apr. 10-11), Vermont (Apr. 22) and face Stony Brook in a rematch of last year’s championship to close out the regular season on May 2-3. UAlbany will travel to conference foes Boston University (March 28-29), Vermont (Apr. 8), Binghamton (Apr. 18-19) and Maine (Apr. 25-26).

Head coach Chris Cannata’s squad will host non-conference doubleheaders against Manhattan (Apr. 14) and Bryant (Apr. 15). In addition, the team will tee off against Marist (March 31) and Iona (Apr. 1) on the road in non-conference action.

UAlbany is led by senior third baseman Meagan Butsch and junior pitcher Leah McIntosh, who were each named to the All-America East first team last season. Butsch started all 51 games and led the Great Danes in batting average, runs batted in, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. She also knocked seven home runs and added seven doubles and four triples. McIntosh accumulated 217 strikeouts in 155.2 innings of work and posted a 1.57 ERA. In 22 appearances, the NFCA All-Northeast Region hurler had a 17-6 record with 21 complete games, including nine shutouts and two no-hitters. Junior second baseman Michelle Connors and junior utility player Bailey Van Deest are returning All-America East second-team selections, while shortstop Andrianna Walraven and designated player Gina Mason earned spots on the all-rookie squad.

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2009 UAlbany Softball Schedule

February: 13 (Fri.) vs. Bethune-Cookman!, 1:30 p.m.; 13 (Fri.) at Stetson!, 4 p.m.; 14 (Sat.) vs. Bethune-Cookman!, 1:30 p.m.; 14 (Sat.) at Stetson!, 4 p.m.; 15 (Sun.) at Stetson!, 10 a.m.; 18 (Wed.) at North Florida (DH), 4 p.m.; 20 (Fri.) vs. Eastern Michigan#, 9:30 a.m.; vs. Rhode Island#, 11:30 a.m.; 21 (Sat.) vs. Louisville#, 9:30 a.m. 21 (Sat.) at South Florida#, 2 p.m.; 22 (Sun.) vs. Jacksonville State#, 11 a.m.

March: 6 (Fri.) vs. Centenary$, 11 a.m.; 6 (Fri.) vs. Jacksonville State$, 4 p.m.; 7 (Sat.) vs. Bowling Green$, 1 p.m.; 7 (Sat.) vs. Kennesaw State$, 6 p.m.; 8 (Sun.) vs. Akron$, 10 a.m.; 13 (Fri.) vs. Brown%, 1 p.m.; 13 (Fri.) vs. USC Upstate%, 5 p.m., 14 (Sat.) vs. Ohio%, 1 p.m.; 14 (Sat.) vs. Fairfield%, 5 p.m.; 15 (Sun.) at George Mason, 3 p.m.; 25 (Wed.) Siena (DH), 3 p.m.; 28 (Sat.) at Boston U.* (DH), 1 p.m.; 29 (Sun.) at Boston U.*, 12 p.m.; 31 (Tues.) at Marist (DH), 2:30 p.m.

April: 1 (Wed.) at Iona (DH), 2:30 p.m.; 4 (Sat.) Hartford* (DH), 1 p.m.; 5 (Sun.) Hartford*, 12 p.m.; 8 (Wed.) at Vermont* (DH), 2 p.m.; 10 (Fri.) UMBC* (DH), 2 p.m.; 11 (Sat.), UMBC*, 12 p.m.; 14 (Tues.), Manhattan (DH), 3 p.m. 15 (Wed.) Bryant (DH), 2 p.m.; 18 (Sat.) at Binghamton* (DH), 12 p.m.; 19 (Sun.) at Binghamton*, 12 p.m.; 22 (Wed.) Vermont* (DH), 2 p.m.; 25 (Sat.) at Maine* (DH), 12 p.m.; 26 (Sun.) at Maine*, 12 p.m.; 28 (Tues.) at Siena (DH) 3 p.m.

May: 2 (Sat.) Stony Brook* (DH), 1 p.m.; 3 (Sun.) Stony Brook*, 12 p.m.

*America East Conference Opponent !Stetson Leadoff Classic #South Florida Wilson Tournament

$Georgia Tech’s Buzz Classic %Winthrop/adidas Invitational