East Carolina University
Memphis
Pirates Fall To Tigers 1-0
March 13, 2011 | Softball
March 13, 2011
Memphis Box Score | Memphis Box Score in PDF Format 
| 
Watch Highlights
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina dropped its first Conference USA series of the season as it fell to Memphis 1-0 Sunday afternoon. The Tigers' Janelle Valle held the Pirates to one hit and Jessica Phillips drove in the game's only run in the top of the fourth inning. East Carolina (19-8, 1-2 C-USA) got its hit from senior Sissy Jimenez in the first inning.
Senior Toni Paisley (14-4) took the loss, despite allowing only five hits and striking out six. She did not issue a walk. Valle (4-2) went the distance for Memphis, striking out a trio and walking one.
East Carolina put runners on the corners in the bottom of the first but failed to score. Freshman Kristi Oshiro led off reaching on a fielding error, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a one-out single just inside the left-field line by Jimenez. A strikeout and groundout ended the threat.
The Tigers (15-5, 2-1 C-USA) answered with a scoring opportunity in the top of the second but were held off the board. Phillips led off with a single out of reach of a diving Oshiro and into center field. Ashleigh King tried to move Phillips to second, but popped out to Jimenez at first on a bunt attempt. A fielder's choice and strikeout looking kept Memphis in check.
Neither team had another base runner until the top of the fourth when Memphis took a 1-0 lead. Maddie McKinley tripled to right field with one out and came home on Phillips' second single of the game. Paisley rebounded with a strikeout and foul out to left.
Junior Suzanne Riggs drew a two-out walk for the Pirates in the bottom of the frame, but a groundout closed the threat.
After retiring Memphis in order in the fifth, East Carolina had a chance in the bottom of the inning, but failed to convert. Freshman pinch hitter Jasmine Robbins was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore pinch hitter Cicely Lopez. A groundout to second by Oshiro was the third out of the frame.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, freshman pinch hitter Abby Wynne reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, but a Riggs groundout ended the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Memphis put two runners on but did not score. King singled to left center with one out. Following a fly out, Alyssa Palmieri singled to right field to put runners on first and second. Paisley then retired pinch hitter Kailey Kassner on a pop out.
East Carolina started its half of the seventh with a pop out before sophomore Kai Clark was hit by a pitch. Freshman Chelsea Kaluhiokalani-Glackin entered to run for Clark and classmate Alex Fieldhouse came in to pinch hit. Fieldhouse hit a liner to McKinley at third and Kaluhiokalani-Glackin was doubled off first to end the game.
The Pirates continue home action with a Tuesday doubleheader against Charleston Southern (11-14) starting at 3:00 p.m. The programs are renewing a rivalry after last playing twice during the 2005 campaign.
