BOCA RATON, Fla. (March 17, 2012) - On a day
when runs were tough to come by, senior pitcher Hope Bitzer stepped up to fill the void, turning in a
complete game one-hitter to lead the Tars to a 4-0 victory Saturday
afternoon over the Fighting Knights of Lynn University.
Both teams got off to a slow start as both traded zeros the
first two full innings with Rollins notching just one hit to the
Knights' zero.
It wasn't until the top of the third when the Tars' would
finally break through to take the 1-0 lead thanks to a RBI single
by Monica Meadows. The Meadows single to left
scored junior Aimee Halpin, her team leading 23rd run
scored, after Halpin had reached on a walk two batters prior.
After Bitzer retired the Knights in order in their half of the
third, Rollins would add another run in the fourth. Senior Lawna Hunter led off the inning with a single through
the left side of the infield. She would advance to second on a
passed ball and then stole third, bringing up freshman Nicole Ankrom with Hunter on third and one out.
Ankrom would send the 2-2 pitch from Knights pitcher Missy
Montgomery through the hole between short and third to plate
Hunter, pushing the score to 2-0.
Lynn would once again go down 1-2-3 in bottom of the fourth to
bring the Tars to bat in the fifth with the 2-3-4 batters set to
hit and a two run cushion.
Sophomore Veronica Alred would draw a walk to lead off the
inning with Meadows following with a line drive single up the
middle, her second hit of the day, advancing Alred to second.
Rollins would then load the bases courtesy of a Knights error
allowing Bitzer to reach, bringing up Hunter with nobody out.
With the count even at two balls and two strikes, Hunter drove
the Montgomery delivery to the wall in right center, scoring Alred
and Meadows.
The four run lead would prove to be more than enough for Bitzer
(11-2) as she didn't surrender a hit until the seventh, a lead off
single to Lauren Garceau, to cruise to the complete game win. Along
with the one hit, Bitzer allowed two walks while striking out nine
in her ninth complete game of the year.
Montgomery (1-8) took the loss, giving up four runs, three
earned, on seven hits in five full innings of work.
Rollins will look to continue their success in the SSC tomorrow,
Mar. 18th, in a double header with Lynn to finish up a
three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm with game two
to follow at approximately 3 pm. Fans can follow all the action
live on the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com.
*Notes: Meadows extended her hit streak to six games,
raising her average to a team leading .393
