Casey DunnCrowe's Slam in Seventh Gives UMW 6-2 Win Over Hood Softball
FREDERICK, Md.--Sophomore third baseman Elizabeth Crowe belted her team-leading eighth home run of the spring in the top of the seventh inning to lift the fourth-seeded University of Mary Washington Eagles (9-24-1) to a come-from-behind 6-2 win over the third-seeded Hood College softball team (15-16) Wednesday in the first round of the Capital Athletic Conference tournament.
The Eagles trailed 2-1 entering the top of the seventh inning. After Kim Olinger drew a leadoff walk, Hood starter Jordan Wolford fanned Danielle Cunetta for the first out. Krissy Leber pinch hit for Kerry Busby, who was 0-for-1 on the day with a strikeout. Leber singled to left center and Bubsy came back in to run for her at first. Lead-off hitter Brandee Adams followed with a single through the right side of the infield to load the bases.
The Eagles sent another pinch hitter to the plate in freshman Katherine Preseren. A .133 hitter on the season, Preseren drew a walk which plated the tying run. At that point, the Blazers made a pitching change, shifting Bridgette Ringley from second base into the circle.
Crowe stepped in and blasted the fourth pitch she saw from Ringley over the center field fence for her team- and CAC-leading eighth round-tripper of the season. Ringley got out of the inning by striking out Kaitlin Petrella and retiring Amanda Adams on a grounder to third.
The Blazers rallied in the bottom of the frame when Casey Dunn hit a sharp line drive to Crowe at third base which ricocheted off her glove and into foul territory for a base hit. Erin McNally drew a walk to put runners at first and second with one out. Both baserunners moved up a station after a passed ball by Bubsy.
Jordan Wolford stepped in and had the long ball on her mind, as she smacked several towering fly balls that sailed just foul. After working the count full, Wolford won the battle against Cunetta and drew a walk to load the bases.
In stepped Rachael Potts, who was 0-for-1 with a pair of walks on the day. On the first pitch she saw, the first baseman laced a hot shot to Crowe at third, who fired home to get Dunn on a force play at the plate. The catcher Busby then alertly gunned a throw to first base just in time to nab Potts for the game-ending double play.
The Blazers, who stranded 10 base runners on the day, scored single runs in the second and third innings.
In the bottom of the second, Ringley lined a single up the middle to score McNally, while Wolford collected her team-leading 18th RBI of the season in the third on a double to the gap in right-center which plated Dunn.
Mary Washington scored its first run of the game in the top of the sixth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Amanda Adams hit a hard line drive back up the middle, which took a tricky hop right over the outstretched mitt of shortstop Kandie Glenn and into centerfield. Wolford prevented further damage by retiring Mo Lamon on a grounder to third.
Dunn went 2-for-4 on the day with a run scored and extended her hit streak to seven straight. Wolford took the loss, working 6.1 innings and allowing five earned runs on only five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
The Blazers look to avoid elimination Thursday when they travel to top-seeded Salisbury University for a 4 p.m. second round playoff game. The Sea Gulls were 11-0 winners over sixth-seeded Wesley College in five innings Tuesday.