April 16, 2008
Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Despite the beautiful weather conditions, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Softball team was held in check via solid pitching and outstanding hitting in a non-conference doubleheader loss to Norfolk State University (NSU) on Wednesday afternoon at Lady Hawks Field.
UMES (7-25) fell behind early in the opener and could not recover as they gave up 12 hits compared to three of their own along with two errors in a 9-1 six inning loss to the Lady Spartans.
Ky Brown was phenomenal on the hill for NSU, giving up just one hit and striking out five in four strong frames to earn the win.
Conversely, Bonnie Heineken (North Pole, Alaska/North Pole H.S.) did not fare so well, allowing six earned runs in four and two third innings of work.
The Lady Hawks picked up base knocks from Cassandra Carlos (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar H.S.), Chelsea Logan (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic Academy), and Heineken, while Dawnita Leigh (Hughesville, Md./College of Southern Maryland) scored the only run.
Meghan Ramsey and Rebecca Barnes combined to lead NSU as they finished four-of-five at the plate, with five RBI, and three runs. Gladys Cabeza and Amelia Lewis also banged out three and two hits, respectively.
A Barnes homerun in the top half of the first gave the Lady Spartans a quick 1-0 lead.
NSU would add a pair of scores in the second that was capped off by a Ramsey RBI double to right center to make it 3-0.
The Lady Spartans jumped out to a commanding 5-0 advantage in the fourth inning on back-to-back RBI from Barnes and Jeanette Sauceda.
Both teams would trade scores in the fifth as UMES got on the board following an Ashley Johnson (Temple Hills, Md./Bishop McNamara H.S.) rundown on a stolen base attempt in which Leigh was able to score from third. Johnson ended up safe at second on the play.
Unfortunately, NSU increased their margin to 9-1 after putting up three more runs in the top of the sixth, which effectively ended the game due to the mercy rule after UMES did not produce any scores in the home half of the inning.
In game two, UMES managed six hits but it was not enough as NSU used 19 of their own and three Lady Hawk errors to take a 15-2 five inning decision.
Micki Rodriguez gave up only one hit and produced six strike outs in the three innings of duty to take the win for the Lady Spartans.
On the opposing mound, Marielle Garcia (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) lasted just one and one third inning, allowing 11 runs (10 earned) in the losing effort.
The Lady Hawks were paced by Heineken with a couple of hits and both Kaminine Jeeuth (Brooklyn, N.Y./Monroe College) and Johnson with an RBI apiece, while the latter also had a hit. Jaleesa Lewis (Milford, Del./Milford H.S.), Mishayla Truttman (Gresham, Ore./Gresham H.S.), and Carlos rounded out the hitting for the maroon and grey.
Ten different NSU batters recorded hits, including Ashley Archer who picked up two of those to go along with five RBI and a run. Not to be outdone, Barnes went a perfect four-of-four, with three RBI and three runs. Rodriguez also aided her own cause with a pair of hits, RBI, and runs.
NSU pounded out three runs in the first inning on the heels of consecutive RBI doubles from Barnes and Sauceda.
A Barnes homerun to left field sparked a 10 hit, nine run second inning for the Lady Spartans that also saw an Archer grand slam to the left corner. NSU would carry a 12-0 lead heading into the home half of two.
UMES would make their mark on a Johnson base hit to center field that drove in Heineken. They followed with a Jeeuth RBI fielder's choice by the shortstop to score Ashley Stewart (Princess Anne, Md./Holly Grove C.S.) and trim the gap to 12-2. No further damage was done after loading the bases as they left three runners stranded to end the inning.
However, NSU continued to poor it on as they added two more runs in the third and another in the fourth, thus, putting the game away at the end of five.
The Lady Hawks will host Delaware State in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 19. The action is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
