Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
North Carolina
Tech Softball Splits First Day of Tourney
March 14, 2003 | Softball
March 14, 2003
SALEM, Va. - It was uncharted territory for the Lady Raider softball team as they took on two teams they have never faced before, the University of North Carolina Tarheels and the Georgia State Panthers at the 2003 Hokie Fastpitch Club Classic in Salem, Va. Tech lost 2-1 to the Tarheels and shut out the Panthers, 10-0.
The Panthers struck in the first inning with a run scored by Tiffany Tolleson. The Lady Raiders were giving the Tarheels a perfect game until the fifth when Arlene Newton stopped pitcher Allison Yins perfect game with a double to left center field.
Kristina Blair came into the game at the top of the fifth, relieving Erin Crawford who pitched four complete innings with no earned runs given up. Tarheel Jaclyn Holden hit a line drive down the right field line for a double, scoring a UNC run but defense on Tech's part kept the lead to 2-0.
In the top of the seventh Elyssa Sigala, slotted her first homerun of the season with a ball hit over left center field. She was followed by Arlene Newton who lined a ball down left center but the Tarheels would turn a double play to leave the Lady Raiders with a 2-1 loss.
Getting it started for the Lady Raiders against Georgia State was Shayne Gipson, who was 2-of-4 against the Panthers, hit a single. Kristi Robles reached first on a Panther error but plated Gipson at home with Tech's first run of the game. Kelly Rhyne, finishing 3-of-4, and Amanda Douglas followed up with singles but three Lady Raiders would be stranded on base.
The third saw Tech's first offensive strike with three runs off four Tech hits to give the Lady Raiders a 4-0 lead. Rhyne led it off for the team with a single and Andrea Joachims walked to land on base. Newton, slammed her second double of the day, putting a run up for the team and Britney Stolle, going 2-of-4, sealed the inning with a RBI single.
The strike continued in the fourth when with two outs before her Newton slammed a three-run homerun. Her second homerun of the season scored Joachims and Douglas who landed on base after consecutive singles. Blair's perfect game was halted in the fourth when Alisia Narodwoski hit a line drive.
Tech's offense finished its strike at the top of the seventh with Newton leading off with a double. Newton finished the day 4-for-7 with four RBI. Gipson, with three stolen bases against the Panthers, hit a single and sent Newton home. A little case of deja vue came into play in the seventh when Sigala slammed a two-run homerun in the seventh, repeating her seventh inning appearance against the Tarheels. The team finished its campaign with three runs in the seventh to cap off a 10-0 victory. Blair pitched seven complete innings, only giving up two hits and striking out six batters.
Play for the Lady Raiders will continue tomorrow against Coastal Carolina at 5 p.m. and St. Bonaventure at 7 p.m.
