East Carolina University
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UTEP
Softball Completes Sweep Of UTEP
April 15, 2006 | Softball
April 15, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Sophomore Beth Nolan went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs to lead East Carolina to 5-2 victory over UTEP here Saturday, completing a three-game Conference USA series sweep.
With the victory, ECU moves ahead of UTEP into seventh place in the standings, one-half game behind sixth place Memphis, whom the Pirates face next weekend.
The Pirates (32-20, 6-9) touched up four Miner pitchers for nine hits. Sophomore Paige Baggett collected two hits and scored once, while junior Joyce Roodenburg drove in a pair with the her second home run of the season.
Roodenburg put ECU up 2-0 with a two-run home run down the left field line in the second.
The score remained 2-0 until the fifth when Andi Zolton hit a solo home run to reduce the Pirates' lead.
ECU reasserted itself in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three runs to double its previous lead.
Sophomore Erin St. Ledger turned a lead off single into a double by hustling around first base while both Miner middle infielders chased after a fly ball that dropped into shallow left center. She then swiped third base before scoring on a hit up the middle by freshman Jessica Johnson.
Another base hit followed by a pitching change and passed ball brought Nolan to bat with two runners in scoring position. Her double to center plated both runs and gave the Pirates a 5-1 advantage.
After three consecutive hits and a run across in the seventh, the Miners (19-27, 5-9) brought the tying run to the plate with one out. Simone Holland then hit a line drive into the glove of St. Ledger who doubled off the runner at first base to end the game.
Junior Keli Harrell (19-13) earned her second victory of the weekend, striking out four and walking just one. Renee DiPuccio (3-4) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in 1.1 innings.
