East Carolina University
Seattle University
Bats Come Alive In Pirates' 9-0 Win
March 06, 2010 | Softball
March 6, 2010
Seattle Box Score | Seattle Box Score in PDF Format 
HONOLULU, Hawai'i - The East Carolina softball team scored in every inning to capture a 9-0 victory over Seattle Saturday at the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational Tournament. Sophomore Faith Sutton threw the first complete game and shutout of her ECU career and was backed by 10 hits from the Pirate (7-8) offense. Six players recorded runs batted in and nine picked up base hits.
Sutton (2-3) earned the victory, allowing only one hit and two walks. She established her career high with nine strikeouts, including four in a row in the first and second innings. Entering the contest, Sutton's personal best was four strikeouts. Jessica Ulrich (0-5) took the loss for Seattle (1-10) as she gave up seven runs on seven hits and a walk.
The Pirates tallied three runs in the bottom of the first inning for a 3-0 lead. Senior Charina Sumner led off with a double over the head of the center fielder. The hit was the 188th of her career, giving her sole possession of ninth on the ECU all-time list.
A single to right field by classmate Christina Merrida put runners on the corners with no outs. Merrida then stole second base. Following a pop-out, senior Marina Gusman-Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases with just one out. Sophomore Priscilla Velasquez drove in Sumner and Merrida with a double down the right-field line. A wild pitch by Ulrich pushed across Gusman-Brown and advanced Velasquez to third base.
Junior Sissy Jimenez was hit by the next pitch to put runners on first and third with no outs. Jimenez attempted to steal second base, but was thrown out by catcher Jessica Amador. Ulrich then uncorked another wild pitch, but Amador recovered the ball and flipped it to Ulrich, who was covering home and tagged out a sliding Velasquez to end the inning.
After sending down Seattle in order in the top of the second, ECU added another run in the bottom of the inning. Senior Cristen Aona drew a one-out walk before classmate Kaui Tom sent a double to the gap in right center. Sumner hit a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Aona for a 4-0 advantage. The damage could have been greater, but left fielder Rose Harrington made a diving catch of a Merrida fly ball for the third out.
Seattle's Allegra Wilde led off the top of the third with a walk and stole second base with two outs, but was left stranded after a groundout.
The Pirates tacked on another run to make it 5-0 in the bottom of the third as Gusman-Brown hit a long home run to left center.
The Redhawks recorded their only hit in the top of the fourth as Amador singled to left center with one out. Sutton recovered to record a strikeout and lineout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, ECU put the game out of reach with four runs. Senior Vanessa Moreno led off with a double to left field. Aona singled through the right side to put runners on the corners with no outs and force a Seattle pitching change. Kelsey Reynolds came in and surrendered a single to left center by Tom that drove in Moreno for a 6-0 score. With runners on first and second and no outs, Sumner grounded out to second base and advanced both runners. Sophomore pinch hitter Suzanne Riggs sent a high pop-up to right field that neither the second baseman nor right fielder was able to catch, plating Aona and moving Tom to third. Freshman Kai Clark followed with a double off the wall in the left field corner to drive in Tom and make it 8-0. Gusman-Brown completed the scoring with a lineout to left field that scored Riggs.
Sutton sent down Seattle in order in the top of the fifth to end the game.
The Pirates complete today's action at approximately 9:00 p.m. EST against host Hawai'i.
