East Carolina University
Penn State
Pirates Top Penn State, 2-0
February 28, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 28, 2010
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - Freshman Kai Clark hit a two-run home run in the first inning and junior Toni Paisley threw her second shutout of the weekend to lead East Carolina to a 2-0 victory over Penn State Sunday morning. ECU (6-7) won all four games at this weekend's Pirate Classic. The win snapped the Pirates' four-game losing streak to Penn State (9-4).
Paisley (5-4) picked up the victory by throwing her second-straight shutout. She allowed five hits and struck out nine in the complete-game effort. The Nittany Lions' Jackie Hill (5-2) took the loss, giving up six hits including the long ball to Clark.
In the bottom of the first, senior Christina Merrida continued her solid weekend, drawing a one-out walk. After nine pitches, Clark sent the next offering over the wall in left field for her first career homer. She became the second ECU player in the past two games to get the first long ball of her career as sophomore Priscilla Velasquez had one Saturday afternoon against Morehead State.
Danee Collett led off the top of the second with a strikeout, but reached first base on a passed ball. Desi Giordano fouled out on a bunt attempt, but Hill followed with a single to left field to put runners on first and second. Paisley recovered to strike out Lisa Akamine and Mary Ostman to end the inning.
East Carolina left two runners stranded in the bottom of the third. Senior Charina Sumner led off with a bunt single and classmate Cristen Aona was hit by a pitch, but they were left on first and second base.
Collett reached base again in the top of the fourth when she led off with a single to left field. Paisley sent down the next three batters on a pop-out and a pair of strikeouts.
Again in the fourth, the Pirates left two on base. With two outs, freshman Cicely Lopez was hit by a pitch and senior Kaui Tom followed with a single. A pop-out by Sumner ended the threat.
ECU got a leadoff single from Merrida in the bottom of the fifth but could not push across a run. It was Merrida's sixth hit of the weekend as she finished the Pirate Classic with a .545 batting average, four runs scored and four RBI.
The Nittany Lions got a one-out single from Kailyn Johnson in the top of the sixth and Collett followed with her second hit of the game to put runners on first and second. Giordano fouled out to first base before Hill flew out to right to end the threat.
Penn State attempted to rally in the top of the seventh as pinch hitter Morgan Long led off with a double to left field. A strikeout, foul out and fly out, however, ended the game and sent the Pirates to their fourth-straight victory.
East Carolina will take a few days off before heading to Hawai'i Wednesday morning for the team's spring break trip. The Pirates will take part in the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational Tournament March 5-7.
