East Carolina University
Toledo
Paisley's Pitching, Johnson's Bat Lead Pirates To Sweep
March 10, 2009 | Softball
March 10, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Toni Paisley’s perfect game and Jessica Johnson’s five runs batted in powered East Carolina (12-6, 2-1 C-USA) past Georgetown (2-13) 9-0 in ECU's opening game of the Pirate Clash. Against Toledo (1-8) in the second game, the Pirates used a five-run first inning on the way to a 9-1 victory. Brooke Swann limited the Rockets to just one hit in the game. East Carolina has now won three in a row and nine of the last 10 games.
For Paisley, 9-2 on the season, the perfect game was the second of her career with the other coming against Binghamton her freshman year. It was also the third no-hitter Paisley has thrown and 13th shutout. The shutout of the Hoyas moved Paisley into a tie for eighth on the school’s career shutouts list.
On the day, Johnson finished 4-6 with one home run, one triple, two walks, three runs scored and six RBIs. She drove in five runs during the Georgetown game for a career high and now sits 12th on the Conference USA career RBI chart. Three of her RBIs against the Hoyas came with the home run, the 27th of her career which put her in sole possession of third place on the ECU career long ball list and tied her for 11th on the C-USA career home run list. With the two walks she received against Toledo, she also moved into fifth on the East Carolina career walks list.
After being retired in order to begin the Georgetown game, the Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Angel Barrella reached on an error with one out and Cristen Aona followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. After Priscilla Velasquez lined out to the shortstop, Sarah Bibee’s single through the middle plated Barrella for the 1-0 advantage.
East Carolina added to its lead in the top of the third with three runs to make the score 4-0. Charina Sumner was hit by a pitch to start the frame, stole second base and scored on Johnson’s triple to right. It was just the second triple of Johnson’s career and first since her freshman year.
Johnson then crossed the plate for a 3-0 ECU lead when Marina Gusman-Brown’s ground ball to the second baseman was booted into right field. Aona provided the final run of the third inning when her two-out double to right center knocked in Gusman-Brown.
The Pirate offense tacked on another run in the fourth as Jillian Gallagher led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a Sumner groundout. Christina Merrida was then hit by a pitch and stole second, bringing up Johnson with runners on second and third. Her single through the left side drove in Gallagher and put East Carolina ahead 5-0.
In the top of sixth inning, the Pirates put the game away with four runs as Johnson and Gusman-Brown hit back-to-back home runs. Sumner led off with a single and Merrida reached on an error by the pitcher before Johnson cleared the bases with her shot over the wall in center field. Gusman-Brown then put the second pitch of her at bat over the fence for a 9-0 lead.
Against Toledo, ECU wasted little time getting on the board, scoring five in the bottom of the first for a 5-0 lead. The first three batters reached and Gusman-Brown drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Barrella then followed with her second triple of the season that made the score 3-0. Aona reached on an error and Kaui Tom’s groundout to the shortstop knocked in Barrella for the fourth run. Aona scored the final run of the inning as Gallagher, who had singled, stole second and the catcher’s throw sailed into center field.
The Rockets got their only hit in the top of the second when Jill Barnett smacked a home run to left field, making the score 5-1 in favor of the hosts.
ECU answered with a run in the bottom of the frame to take a 6-1 advantage when Sumner led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a flyout to right and scored on a sacrifice fly by Barrella.
The Pirates added another run in the bottom of the fourth for a 7-1 advantage when Trisha Rons, Toledo’s third pitcher of the contest, walked the bases loaded to start the inning. Rons then got two outs before walking pinch hitter Nicole Jordan to force in the run. It was the first RBI of Jordan’s career.
The bottom of the fifth had the Pirates add the final two runs of the game for a 9-1 win as Johnson singled to center and plated Merrida before Gusman-Brown’s groundout scored Sumner for the last run.
East Carolina will finish play at the Pirate Clash tomorrow at noon against Toledo and at 2 p.m. against Georgetown.
