Pirates Blank UTEP Twice

April 22, 2011

EL PASO, Texas - Two dominant pitching performances by senior Toni Paisley and junior Faith Sutton led East Carolina to 1-0 and 6-0 wins over UTEP Friday afternoon. The two pitchers combined to allow eight hits and strike out 24 during the two games. It was the third time this year and 12th in the last two seasons that Paisley and Sutton have both thrown shutouts in a doubleheader.

In the opener, a fifth-inning single by freshman Chelsea Kaluhiokalani-Glackin that drove in sophomore Kai Clark was all ECU (33-16, 13-7 C-USA) needed as Paisley struck out a career-high-tying 16. During the second contest, senior Sissy Jimenez drove in two runs with a single in the first inning and freshman Jill Jelnick went 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored to back Sutton's season-high-tying eight strikeouts. Jelnick also picked up two hits in the first game.

Paisley (25-8) earned the win in the initial contest and established a personal best with 16 whiffs in a seven-inning contest. Earlier this season against Tulsa, Paisley fanned 16 during the 10-inning series opener. She allowed just three hits, one after the third inning, and a walk. The 16 strikeouts also pushed her season total to 304. Paisley a year ago (356) and Keli Harrell (338) in 2005 are the only Pirate hurlers to record 300 or more strikeouts in a season. Courtney Auger (8-13) took the loss for the Miners after surrendering six hits. She issued six walks, but struck out eight in the complete-game effort.

Sutton (8-8) went the distance in the second game scattering five hits and a walk. Joanna Krienitz (2-6) suffered the setback for the Miners after throwing the first five innings. She surrendered five runs on six hits and five walks. She also fanned five. Megan Atchinson went the remaining two frames, giving up an unearned run on two hits and a pair of walks.

In the opener, the Pirates had a runner on in each of the first three innings, but two were caught stealing and the third was picked off second base, eliminating any potential scoring opportunities.

East Carolina's Jelnick singled up the middle with one out in the top of the fourth to pick up her second hit of the game. Junior Suzanne Riggs followed with a walk, but a pair of fielder's choice groundouts to the shortstop ended the threat.

Paisley rolled through the first four innings, striking out nine batters. She allowed a two-out single in the second and in the third, but a whiff ended each frame.

The Pirates broke through for the game's only run in the top of the fifth. With one out, Clark drew her second walk of the contest. Freshman Jasmine Robbins followed with a single to center field, putting runners on first and second. A bouncer up the middle by Kaluhiokalani-Glackin plated Clark. Robbins was thrown out at third as she tried to advance on the throw to the plate. Freshman Kristi Oshiro kept the inning alive, singling through the left side. A strikeout looking by Jelnick ended the inning.

ECU had a chance to add runs in the sixth, but failed to convert. Riggs led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Jordan Lewis. Jimenez drew the second free pass of the inning to put runners on first and second with one out. A double-play grounder by sophomore pinch hitter Cicely Lopez allowed Auger to escape without any damage.

The Miners (16-31, 1-16 C-USA) had their best scoring chance in the bottom of the sixth when Kelynn Frye drew a walk to open the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kayla Oranger. Paisley got Becky Smith to pop out to Kaluhiokalani-Glackin at shortstop for the second out and struck out Kai Moore swinging to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh, Robbins collected her second one-out single to center field, but was left stranded after a strikeout and foul out to left.

Paisley fanned the first two batters of the seventh before Kayleigh Walts kept the game alive with a single to left field. A strikeout looking by Camille Herrera ended the contest.

In the second game, the Pirates jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Jelnick started the game with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Oshiro and advanced to third on a single to left field by Riggs, who advanced to second on the throw to the third. After a strikeout, Jimenez singled to center field on the first pitch of her at bat to plate Jelnick and Riggs. Jimenez was thrown out at second trying to advance, ending the frame.

UTEP put two runners on in the bottom of the first as Walts reached on an infield single with one out and Kayla Black was safe at first on a two-out fielding error. Sutton escaped unscathed when Herrera grounded out to Kaluhiokalani-Glackin.

East Carolina mounted its own two-out threat in second and pushed across a run for a 3-0 advantage. Lopez drew a walk and Kaluhiokalani-Glackin was hit by a pitch with two down. Jelnick sent a chopper over the head of Krienitz to plate Lopez and move Kaluhiokalani-Glackin to third. A walk to Oshiro filled the bases, but Riggs bounced into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

In the top of the third, the Pirates loaded the bases with one out, but failed to score. Lewis started the inning with a single to left center, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice by Jimenez. Clark followed with a grounder to the shortstop, who tried to throw Jimenez out at second, but the toss was late, leaving runners at first and second. Robbins then drew a four-pitch walk to fill the bases. With Lopez batting, Jimenez tried to come home as a pitch tipped off the end of the catcher Walts' glove, but Walts retrieved the ball and flipped to Krienitz, who applied the tag for the second out. Lopez struck out swinging to end the threat.

The Miners' leadoff batter reached in the bottom of the fourth when Herrera singled to right field, but three-straight strikeouts left her stranded on first.

The Pirates added two more runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 5-0. Riggs started the frame with a walk and went to second on a Lewis bunt single. A sacrifice bunt by Jimenez moved the two up a base and both came home on a double to the gap in right center by Clark. A wild pitch moved Clark to third, but two groundouts to the first baseman closed the half inning.

In the top of the sixth, ECU added another run as freshman pinch hitter Rebecca Lee led off reaching on a throwing error. She advanced all the way to third as the ball rolled down the right-field line. A Jelnick single to left field scored Lee for a 6-0 lead. Riggs followed with a walk, but Lewis lined into a double play as the third baseman caught Riggs too far off first base.

Sutton struck out Smith to start the bottom of the seventh, but a walk to Moore and single by Samantha Alvillar followed. Sutton ended the game with a pair of groundouts to Oshiro that preserved the shutout.

East Carolina goes for its second Conference USA sweep of the season Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. game. Earlier this month, the Pirates won all three games at Southern Miss.

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