Feb. 23, 2008

Stats

Knoxville, TN - The Wagner College softball team was beaten in both contests they had this afternoon at the Tennessee Classic, first to the University of Virginia (2-7) by a score of 9-1 (in five innings) and then to host Tennessee - ranked fifth in the nation - by a score of 14-0 (also in five innings). Wagner moves to 0-3 on the season.

In the first game against UVA it was the Cavaliers who struck first in the second inning against Wagner sophomore pitcher Kate Eshelman (Reno, NV/McQueen) - taking the ball for the first time this season - when they were able to double three times in their home second inning bringing across two runs on four hits.

The Seahawks answered right back, however, in the top of the third when they took advantage of an error by the UVA shortstop on a ball put in play by freshman centerfielder Emily Pierce (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista) and pushed across junior Cindy Bagnoli (Old Tappan, NJ/Old Tappan) after she pinch-ran for freshman outfielder Hailey Corthell (Reno, NV/Reno) who reached on a one-out base hit up the middle.

Unfortunately for the Green & White, that was the only run they would get for the rest of the day.

In the following two innings Virginia would tack on seven more runs on six hits and an error and would leave Wagner one more chance, at 9-1, to get back into the game in the top of the fifth inning.

But after senior rightfielder Ami Iwicki (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) lead off with a promising base hit to center, junior Jaclyn Vanore (Palisades Park, NJ/Paramus Catholic) pinch-hit for Bagnoli and preceded to line out into a double play. With two down there still existed some hope though as freshman Pierce singled by beating out a ball hit to first base and Eshelman followed her up with a single to third base. With runners on second and third after they advanced on a UVA throwing error, it was left in the hands of senior shortstop Katie Stevens (Reno, NV/Wooster).

But Virginia hurler Karla Wilburn - who gave up only five Seahawk hits in the game - got her to fly out to center and the 9-1 score became a final. Eshelman was saddled with the loss, her first on the year, after giving up four earned runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking three.

In the second game of the day, the Seahawks had their hands full with No. 5-ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers - last year's NCAA Runner-Up who already was boasting an 11-1 record heading in. As it turned out they certainly were a handful as the Seahawks learned that they were impossible to stop this afternoon.

After going out one-two-three in the top of the first inning, the Lady Vols stormed into the bottom half and erupted for six runs on five hits including a two-out grand slam by their catcher, Jen Lapicki. An inning later it was much of the same from Tennessee and their bats, as they out-did their first inning total and pushed eight runs across the plate on five hits and two Wagner errors (a throwing error and an illegal pitch).

Against the dominant UT pitcher Megan Rhodes the Wagner bats were quiet as they were only able to muster up one hit - a double from junior infielder Andrea Lazzari (Reno, NV/Wooster) in the fifth and final inning - against the Volunteer senior who was credited with the win and stayed perfect (5-0) on the season.

Freshman pitcher Danielle Wagoner (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley), who made her first start of the season in this game, was charged with the loss after struggling through one and a third giving up 11 runs on seven hits and walking two.

The Seahawks now gear up for their last game of the Tennessee Classic tomorrow morning when they'll face off against Louisiana-Monroe at 10 a.m.