Sophomore Emily Jeffery |
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Four-Run First Inning Pushes Charlotte Past St. Bonaventure 4-0 in A-10 Tourney
May 8, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Behind a shutout by sophomore Emily Jeffery and a four-run first inning, the third-seeded Charlotte 49ers (34-29) upset second seeded St. Bonaventure 4-0 on the second day of the 2008 Atlantic 10 Softball Tournament Thursday at the D.L. Phillips Complex. With the win, Charlotte moves to 2-0 in tournament action and advances to tomorrow's 2 p.m. game against top-seed No. 20 Massachusetts.
"I thought we had one of the best pitching performances from Jeffery--she really came out attacking the Saint Bonaventure batters," head coach Aimee DeVos said. "On the offensive end, I couldn't be happier with our first inning. We truly had an offensive explosion. Overall, we came out ready to play ball."
Jeffery, moving to 18-11 on the season with seven strikeouts, held the Bonnies to three hits, two coming from their leadoff batter Kathryn Pazda. In her fifth shutout of the season, Jeffery saw only four base runners on no walks and a fielder's choice.
Charlotte scattered nine hits in the contest, with junior second baseman Sarah Malene and freshman outfielder Whitney Williams, respectively batting in the first and second spots, each contributing two apiece. Sophomore outfielder Serena Smith and junior designated player Jaime West both drove in one run on one hit, while senior outfielder Emily Forbes, freshman catcher Tenaya Tucker and junior third baseman Jenny Rumbles put up one hit each.
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Malene led off the 49ers with a single to right field before stealing second and reaching third on a Williams bunt, eventually reaching home on an error by the St. Bonaventure catcher during Smith's at-bat for the game-winning run, pushing her single season run total to a program record 44. Smith smashed the ball to left field for an RBI single, allowing Williams, who stole second, to cross the plate before West doubled to left center to bring in Smith. Forbes repeated the RBI single to left center after a Cee Brooks strikeout to drive in West for the final run of the inning.
Charlotte came close to scoring again in the top of the fifth when Malene reached third on a double to right center, advancing on a Williams single up the middle, but was shutout from scoring when a double play off a West pop-up ended the inning.
St. Bonaventure failed to reach past first base through seven complete innings, placing runners on in only the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
With the win, Charlotte advances to day three of conference tournament action, facing Massachusetts in the 2 p.m. game Friday. If the 49ers win, they will advance to the title game Saturday afternoon; if they fall, they will play again tomorrow at 6 p.m.
