East Carolina University
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UTEP
Pirates Sweep Away UTEP With 6-2 Win
April 23, 2011 | Softball
April 23, 2011
UTEP Box Score | UTEP Box Score in PDF Format 
EL PASO, Texas - A three-run fourth inning propelled East Carolina to a 6-2 victory over UTEP Saturday afternoon and gave the Pirates their second Conference USA series sweep of the season. Junior Priscilla Velasquez drove in the game-winning run in the fourth with a single up the middle. East Carolina (34-16, 14-7 C-USA) fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the third, but came back for the victory to earn its second triumph of the year when the opponent scored first.
It was the bottom of the Pirates' order that came through Saturday as hitters five through nine combined to score all six runs, drive in three runs and tally four of the team's six hits. Freshman Chelsea Kaluhiokalani-Glackin had two RBI and classmate Jasmine Robbins scored twice.
Senior Toni Paisley (26-8) picked up the victory, the 112th of her career to give her sole possession of 27th on the NCAA Division I all-time record list. She allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven. The seven whiffs moved her into a tie for 24th on the NCAA career chart. Courtney Auger (8-14) was saddled with the loss for the Miners after allowing six runs, but just two earned, on six hits and seven walks. She also struck out eight in the contest.
The Pirates had a chance to score in the first, but failed to convert. Freshman Jill Jelnick singled to left field to start the game, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by classmate Kristi Oshiro and moved to third on a passed ball. With one out, junior Suzanne Riggs drew a walk to put runners on the corners. A strikeout and pop out kept ECU off the board.
UTEP (16-32, 1-17 C-USA) mounted a scoring threat in the bottom of the second with two walks, the first to Becky Smith with one out and the second to Courtney Ware with two down. Paisley got out of trouble by getting Camille Herrera to foul out.
In the top of the third, Jelnick started the offense again with a four-pitch walk. Another Oshiro sacrifice bunt moved Jelnick to second, but a pair of strikeouts left her there.
The Miners took a 1-0 lead with a two-out run in the bottom of the third. Samantha Alvillar picked up her second single of the contest and Kayla Black followed with a double to the gap in right center to plate Alvillar.
ECU answered in the top of the fourth with the help of two UTEP errors and took a 3-1 lead. With one out, sophomore Kai Clark singled to left field. Robbins followed with a bunt that Auger fielded, but threw the ball down the right-field line allowing Robbins to be safe at first and Clark to advance to third. Freshman Alex Fieldhouse followed with a grounder to Alvillar at shortstop. The ball rolled under her glove, Clark scored and Robbins advanced to third. A pinch-hit single up the middle by Velasquez plated Robbins and moved Fieldhouse to third. Velasquez went to second on the throw to the plate. Jelnick picked up one of her three walks of the game to load the bases with one out. Freshman pinch hitter Abby Wynne battled for 11 pitches before striking out, but Riggs walked to force in Fieldhouse. It was the Pirates' 12th bases-loaded free pass of the season. A strikeout looking allowed Auger to avoid further damage.
UTEP threatened again in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with two outs, but did not score. Smith and Kelynn Frye hit consecutive singles to left field to start the inning before Paisley retired the next two batters with a pop out and fly out. Kayla Oranger followed with a grounder to Kaluhiokalani-Glackin at shortstop, who fielded the ball and went to throw to third base for the force out, but nobody was covering, loading the bases. Paisley struck out Kayleigh Walts swinging to close the inning.
After the defensive stand, the Pirates added three more runs in the top of the fifth to push its advantage to 6-1. Freshman Jordan Lewis led off the frame with a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Clark moved Lewis to second and she advanced to third on a single to right center by Robbins. After a strikeout, Robbins stole second base to put runners on second and third with two outs. Lewis and Robbins came home on a triple to center field by Kaluhiokalani-Glackin. Smith dove for the ball in center, but came up just short. Kaluhiokalani-Glackin scored the final run of the inning on a failed pickoff attempt by the catcher as Walts' throw went into left field. Kaluhiokalani-Glackin finished the series with three runs batted in, equaling her career total entering the weekend.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Miners got a run back to make it a 6-2 game. After a strikeout started the inning, Black singled off the glove of a diving Fieldhouse at third base. A double just inside the left-field line by Laura Ramos moved Black to third. Riggs, who was in left, fielded the Ramos double, but the throw back to the infield rolled away from the defenders and over toward the UTEP dugout, allowing Black to score and move Ramos to third. Paisley ended the inning with a foul out and groundout.
Paisley retired UTEP in order in the sixth and seventh frames to complete the series sweep.
East Carolina has a week off before returning to the diamond for its final regular-season C-USA series, Youth Day and Senior Day. The Pirates face Houston (32-15, 13-5 C-USA) in a doubleheader Saturday, April 30, starting at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, May 1, East Carolina will honor seniors Paisley and Sissy Jimenez prior to the 11:00 a.m. contest.
Saturday will also be Youth Day. Any softball teams that would like to participate, please arrive at the stadium to check in by 12:30 p.m. For more information on Youth Day, please contact Brad Coleman at colemanb@ecu.edu.
