BOCA
RATON, Fla. (April 29, 2006) ' The Rollins College
softball team wrapped up their 2006 regular season on Saturday
afternoon by sweeping Lynn University in a three-game conference
series. After grabbing the 7-1 victory on Friday afternoon, the
Tars took both games on Saturday, 8-4 in game one and 5-1 in game
two. Rollins ends the season with a record of 45-16 overall and
14-10 in the Sunshine State Conference. The 45 wins are a career
high for the Tars under the guidance of head coach Michelle
Frew.
'
Game
one opened with the Tars grabbing an early 1-0 lead after junior
Stacy Sanders (Orlando, Fla.) doubled, scoring senior Kelly Cruz
(Winter Springs, Fla.) from first base, with the help of a throwing
error from the Fighting Knights shortstop. The error was the first
of eight total errors in the game, six for the Fighting Knights and
two for Rollins.
'
Lynn
came to bat in the bottom of the first down 1-0 and for the second
straight game, Christina Rolla sent the ball over the outfield
fence, a two-run shot, giving the Fighting Knights a 2-1 advantage.
The Tars then came to bat in the third and scored three runs, all
unearned due to errors. Cruz recorded the first RBI as her double
to left field scored sophomore Rachel Almengual (Odessa, Fla.) from
second. After a Sanders groundout, Kallie Jones (Chandler, Okla.)
and Jamie Rausch (Ocoee, Fla.) both drew walks, loading the bases
for the game's starting pitcher Ingrid Schumacher (Naples, Fla.).
Schumacher took advantage of the loaded bases with a double,
scoring both Cruz and Jones for the 4-2 lead.
'
The
Fighting Knights quickly answered with two runs of their own in the
bottom of the third, knotting the game at four. The game remained
tied until the Tars exploded for four runs in the top of the
seventh. Cruz opened the inning by reaching on an error and then
the next three batters, Sanders, Jones, and Rausch all walked,
sending Cruz home. Freshman Nicole Anderson (Brandon, Fla.), who
had replaced Schumacher in the circle in the fourth, stepped to the
plate for only the second time all season and was hit by a pitch,
scoring Sanders from third. After an Amanda DeFilippo (Winter
Springs, Fla.) fly-out, Devon Kontos (Orlando, Fla.) hit the ball
to the shortstop, who attempted to throw out Jones heading for
home, but overshot the catcher, allowing Jones to score. A passed
ball allowed Rausch to score from third to give the Tars the 8-4
advantage, which they held on to for the win.
'
Anderson
recorded the win after 3.2 innings of work, surrendering only three
hits and one walk while striking out seven. Schumacher went the
first 3.1 innings, allowing only six hits, four runs and one walk.
Cristin Kelly took the loss for the Fighting Knights, allowing six
hits, eight runs and seven walks. Only one of the eight runs was an
earned run.
'
After
the eventful first game, the two teams returned to the wind blown
field for game two. Once again, Rollins opened an early lead,
scoring the first run of the game in the top of the first inning
when a Jones single scored Almengual from third. The Tars added
another run in the second when DeFilippo opened the inning with a
triple and scored on a Kontos single. The Fighting Knights then
scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the second to
shrink the Tars lead to 2-1. The lead grew to 4-1 in the third
after Rausch recorded her fifth homerun of the season, a two-run
shot to left field. The Tars scored the last run of the game in the
top of the seventh as Cruz and Sanders both walked, Jones singled
through the left side to load the bases and Rausch walked, sending
Cruz home.
'
Anderson
was the winning pitcher for the Tars, as she took her third
consecutive victory over the Fighting Knights. In seven innings of
work she allowed only five hits, one run, one walk and eight
strikeouts. Kelly was the losing pitcher in game two, surrendering
eight hits, five runs and three walks.
'
'
