Friday, April 23, 2004

Tricia Speziale's (Elmhurst, Ill./York H.S.) bases loaded doubled broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift Valparaiso to a 5-2 victory over UMKC on Friday afternoon at the Valparaiso University Softball Field to give the Crusaders a doubleheader sweep. Valpo won the opener 7-1.

Valpo battled back from a 2-0 deficit in the nightcap and with the game tied in the sixth, Lisa Setzler (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso H.S.) reached on an infield single to shortstop. Kelly Silvey (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard H.S.) and Brittany Atteberry (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) walked to load the bases. Speziale cleared the bases with her double to center to put Valpo in front for good.

UMKC jumped in front in the opening inning as Lindsey Ramsey doubled, one of three she had on the day, and scored on a Veronika Weaver single. The Kangaroos added a run in the fourth as Emily Adkins scored on an RBI single by Kacie Tietgen.

The Crusaders tied the game in the fourth as Monica Rowan (Evergreen Park, Ill./Evergreen Park H.S.) doubled off the wall in left and scored on a Taylor Callahan (Grayson, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian H.S.) single. Callahan eventually scored when Stephanie Reinke (Parker, Colo./J.K. Mullen H.S.) singled.

The game then remained tied until the sixth. Atteberry registered the victory in relief, going the last 3.1 innings in relief, striking out four. Tisha Abell suffered the loss for the Kangaroos. Rowan had a pair of hits for Valpo, while Ramsey and Eryn Knecht tallied two hits each for UMKC.

In the opener Valpo jumped in front in the opening inning as Speziale homered to center, scoring Silvey in front of her. Speziale finished the day with five RBIs. UMKC cut the lead in half in the second as Knecht scored on an infield single by Tietgen.

The Crusaders added a run in the third as Beth Adamski (St. John, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) singled home Karen Constien (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North H.S.). The Brown and Gold finished the scoring in the fourth, plating four more. Constien doubled home two runs, Callahan added a sacrifice fly, and the final run scored on an error by the centerfielder.

Amanda Gilbertson (Murrieta, Calif./West Albany H.S., Ore.) picked up the win, scattering four hits over the first five innings. Silvey, Speziale, and Constien all notched a pair of hits for the Crusaders, while Ramsey had two for UMKC. Weaver started and suffered the loss for the Kangaroos.

Valparaiso (15-23, 9-5 Mid-Con) and UMKC (7-31, 5-9) will wrap-up their four game weekend series on Saturday afternoon with another doubleheader. The first pitch is set for noon.