George Washington University
7-16, 3-5
RHODE ISLAND
10-22, 3-5
Softball Snaps Winless Streak, Sweeps Rhode Island
4/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC - Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Amanda Gabriel (Fullerton, CA/Sunny Hills H.S.) must really like pitching on April 6, as she led the George Washington softball team to a pair of victories over Atlantic 10 rival, Rhode Island, Sunday afternoon at the Mount Vernon Softball Complex. The Colonials took the opener 2-0, and the nightcap by a 2-1 final.
Gabriel pitched a two-hit shutout in the first game and struck out three. The right-handed pitcher walked the first two batters she faced, her only free passes allowed all game, but settled down and got out of the first inning unscathed. After the two walks, Gabriel retired the next nine batters until Melissa Wilson led off the fourth inning with a single for the Rams.
The opener remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Gabriel and senior Chrysanthi Halkiotis (Brookeville, MD/Sherwood H.S.) led off the inning with back-to-back doubles.
GW would add one more in the sixth on a pair of hits. Junior Tori Sensi (Skillman, NJ/Montgomery H.S.) led off the inning with a double of her own. Sensi advanced to third on a wild pitch by Rams pitcher Jill Anderson, and scored on a single to right field by sophomore Amanda Holst (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan H.S.).
Freshman Katie Terrazas (Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta H.S.) led GW in game one with a pair of hits, while senior Jackie Yaniga (Miami, FL/Southwest Miami H.S.) also recorded a base knock in the opener. Junior Carrie Higdon (Newburg, MD/La Plata H.S.), while not collecting a base-hit, recorded two sacrifice hits from the two-spot in the lineup.
Gabriel was just as dominant in the second game of the doubleheader despite giving up a run in the first inning. After giving up a leadoff double to the leadoff batter, Gabriel retired nine straight batters, but not after giving up a run in the first inning due to a pair of sacrifices.
The Colonials made up for the lone Rams run on the day with a run of their own in the first. Higdon started the rally with a one-out double to left center. After Terrazas reached on a walk and advanced to second on a groundout by Yaniga, Sensi brought in Higdon from third with a hard single up the middle.
GW added the game-winning run in the third thanks to a hit by Halkiotis, an error, and a wild pitch. Halkiotis singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second when Terrazas reached safely on an error by the third baseman. Another groundout by Yaniga advanced both runners into scoring position, before Halkiotis scored on a wild pitch.
After allowing a leadoff single in thei third, Gabriel struck out six of the next nine batters, including the side in the fourth inning. The native of Fullerton, CA, matched her career-high with 12 strikeouts, which ironically, she set exactly a year ago today with a 12 strikeout victory over conference rival Saint Joseph's.
Gabriel (6-10) also set a number of GW pitching records today including becoming the first Colonials pitcher to strikeout 100 batters in back-to-back seasons. She also tied the GW career record for starts (43), broke the GW record for career innings pitched (270.2), and extended several of her other career pitching marks.
Halkiotis and redshirt sophomore Elisa Van Kirk (Southington, CT/Southington H.S.) led GW with two base-hits in the second game, while Higdon, Sensi and Holst all chipped in with one hit as well.
GW improved to 7-16 overall and 3-5 in the Atlantic 10 and is next in action Wednesday, April, 9 when they host James Madison in a 3:00 pm non-conference doubleheader at the Mount Vernon Softball Complex.
Game Notes: Junior walk-on Samantha Long made her collegiate debut for the Colonials, pinch running in the second inning of game one. Freshman Ali Pardo made a pinch running appearance in game two. Kim Staehle picked up 160th career victory with GW's win in game one. Staehle needs one more win for 40 career Atlantic 10 victories.
- GW -
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gabriel, Amanda (6-10)
L: STANOVICH (0-0)
Batting:
2B: BORDEN 1 ; BALL 1
RBI: WILSON 1
SH: BORDEN 1 ; KAMPMEIER 1
SF: WILSON 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BORDEN 1
Batting:
2B: Higdon, Carrie 1
RBI: Sensi, Tori 1
SH: Higdon, Carrie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Halkiotis, Chrysanthi 1 ; Higdon, Carrie 1
