ALBANY, Ga. (February 8, 2013) - Rollins
pitchers allowed just eight hits in a pair of wins over Albany
State on Friday, as the Tars picked up wins number seven and eight
of year, 3-0 and 7-1, respectively.
It was junior Stephanie Sullivan (4-0) who got the start in game
one Friday afternoon, bailing out a cold Tars lineup that scored
just one run through six innings.
Rollins took the 1-0 lead in the second after a double by junior
Hilary Brown scored sophomore Shelby Walters after Walters began the two out rally
with a double of her own.
Sullivan carried a two hit shutout into the seventh when she
received some much needed insurance in the means of a two run
homerun by junior Kristie Hoeffer. Aimee Halpin led off the inning with a single before
coming around to score on the Hoeffer one out shot to right field;
it was Hoeffer's first homerun of the season.
The Lady Rams threatened in their half of the inning, putting
runners on first and second with one out before, what appeared to
be an RBI double to the wall in left by Shelby Gale, was nullified
due to an illegal substitution.
After the play was sorted out, Gale returned to the plate and
earned a walk, loading the bases still with just one out.
Sullivan was then replaced by freshman Niki Fogle who calmly retired the next two Albany St.
batters to preserve the shutout and earn the save.
The save was Fogle's third of the season, tying her for the
school record for saves in a season.
Hoeffer went 2-4 in game one, with a homerun, two RBI, and a run
scored.
Fogle got the start in game two and Rollins again jumped ahead
early, taking a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI double by senior Hannah Lovestrand; it was Lovestrand's team leading
fifth double of the young season.
The Tars bats then awoke in the third, blowing the game open
with three runs on three hits. Freshman Brittany Johnson recorded an RBI in the inning on a
sac fly to right while Halpin picked up a couple RBI with a double
to left with the bases loaded.
Rollins took the 4-0 lead into the sixth where they would add
another on an RBI double down the left field line by freshman Courtney Durbin, scoring Johnson from second.
The Tars tacked on two more in the top of the seventh before the
Lady Rams scored their first, and only, run of the day in their
half of the inning on a leadoff homerun by Gale to cut the deficit
to 7-1 in favor of Rollins.
Fogle (3-0) then retired the next three Albany State batters in
order to secure the win, allowing just five hits in seven innings
of work while striking out 10.
Lovestrand went 3-4 in game two with a RBI and a run scored.
The Tars now continue their tour of Georgia with a double header
on Saturday in Americas, Ga. against Georgia Southwestern. Game one
is set to start at 1pm with game two to follow at approximately
3pm. Fans can follow along with all the action live on the Tars
Sports Network on RollinsSports.com
