Feb. 15, 2009

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - Western Carolina softball (1-4) picked up its first victory of the 2009 season with a 2-0, extra-inning, win over North Florida (3-10) Sunday in the final day of the UCF Tournament.

The game was knotted at zero after seven innings of play, which forced extra frames. This forced the international tiebreaker rule, in which the last out of the previous inning is placed on second base.

Western Carolina was deemed the visiting team to start the game, so at the top of the eighth inning, junior Kristen Gay was placed on second base. Catamount Keri Burnside laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Gay in scoring position at third base. Sophomore Amber Hawkins drew a one-out walk and then stole second to place runners at second and third.

Senior third baseman Stephanie Beatty broke the scoreless tie when she singled down the right side scoring Gay and picking up an RBI. Beatty, who was tied with teammate Lauren Ross for most RBI in a career with 84, took over the top spot with the 85th RBI of her career.

Beth Hauser ground out for the second out but she collected an RBI when Hawkins went home on the play.

Leading 2-0, it was time for senior hurler Ross to close out the game. In her first shutout performance of the season, Ross forced North Florida's Allyson Bailey to pop the ball up allowing the Catamounts to turn a double play. It erased UNF's runner on second and left them with just one out left and down two runs. Ross closed out the game when pinch hitter Airen Payne ground out to end the game.

Ross improves to 1-1 on the season, tossing eight innings in the contest. She had three strikeouts, gave up three hits and walked one. Ross also led the club with her bat, as the only player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

Western Carolina returns to action February 20 when it participates in the Kickin' Chicken Classic at Coastal Carolina. The Catamounts opening opponent is Main and first pitch is set for 11:30 a.m.