Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
by John Hackney
WILSON, N.C.-The Barton College fastpitch team improved to 5-0 for the first time in the NCAA era (since 1995) with two wins Saturday over visiting Virginia State University at Jeffries Field.
The Lady Bulldogs of 16-year head coach Sheryl Neff defeated the Lady Trojans 3-0 in the opener and 9-6 in the second game. Barton was scheduled to entertain West Chester University in doubleheader action at 1 p.m. Sunday at Jeffries Field, but it has been cancelled because of expected rain/snow. Barton will next play at Virginia Union at 2 p.m. Tuesday. VSU exited with a 1-5 record.
In the opener, Autumn Pittman scattered two hits in raising her pitching record to 2-0. She struck out four and walked none. Jessica Mattia (1-5) pitched all 12 innings for the Lady Trojans on a pleasant afternoon.
Barton plated two runs in the first on a double by Amber Weaver, an RBI double by Street and a run-scoring triple by Rebecka Morgan. Street scored Barton's last run in the third. She reached on a fielder's choice, moved over on an error and came home on a double by Morgan.
Street, Morgan, Autumn Herrin and Heather Gatton each rapped two hits for the Lady Bulldogs. Herrin tripled and doubled.
In the second game, starting Barton pitcher Elizabeth Webb struggled on the mound in the early going, but she was hot at the plate (two doubles), which helped rally the home team from a 5-3 deficit to an 8-5 lead. Webb (1-0) settled in through four innings, then Kendall Street came in to earn the save with some impressive relief work. Webb scattered seven hits and allowed six runs while walking one and fanning five. Street struck out five and allowed just two hits.
Barton jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a single by Stacy Wade, a double by Weaver, a run-scoring single by Morgan and an RBI double by Webb. VSU rallied to a 5-3 lead with a five-run second. The big blow was a three-run double by Jamisha Smith. Ashley Bushrod brought in a run when she was hit by a pitch and Mattia singled home the other run.
Barton bounced back with a five-run second inning. Gatton and Alex Baylis each reached safely on strikeout/passed ball plays. Wade drove in one with a sacrifice fly, Weaver walked, Street singled home a run and Morgan slammed a three-run bomb over the left-field fence.
Smith doubled and scored on a Mattia single in the fourth to pull VSU within 8-6, but Barton countered with a run in the fifth when Herrin singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gatton and scored on a Baylis single.
Barton finished with an 11-9 advantage in hits. Baylis and Webb notched two hits apiece.
Smith, Mattia, Endya Bailey and Caitlin Underhill had two hits apiece for Virginia State.
