
Softball Overpowers Ohio 9-2 In JMU Invitational Opener
March 16, 2018 | Softball
HARRISONBURG, Va.  – ECU pounded out 10 hits Friday morning en route to a 9-2 victory over Ohio in the first game of the JMU Invitational at Veterans Memorial Park.  Â
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Team Records
ECU: 11-16
Ohio: 9-11
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How It Happened: Katie Yun opened the scoring with a RBI single for the Bobcats in the top of the first, but the lead was short lived as freshman infielder Ashleigh Inae singled and advanced to second on a fielding error before senior infielder Meredith Burroughs crushed a 3-2 pitch over the wall in dead center to put the Pirates ahead 2-1 after one complete. Ohio tied the game up with an unearned run in the top of the third off of a sacrifice fly. Again, ECU responded right away in its half of the frame when redshirt sophomore infielder Tate McClellan was hit by a pitch and senior infielder Karlie Smith hit her second home run of the campaign to leave the Pirates with a 4-2 lead moving into the fourth inning.
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It was all ECU from that point. In the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates tacked on three more runs off three hits – including a RBI double by Inae – to pull ahead 7-2. Junior outfielder Ashley Weingartz completed the scoring by ripping a two-run double off of the wall in right center in the bottom of the sixth.
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Pitchers of Record
WP – Ashley Cruise (1-1)
LP – Danielle Steine (6-5)
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ECU Top Performers
Meredith Burroughs: 2-for-4, Run, 3 RBI, HR
Ashleigh Inae: 2-for-4, 2 Runs, RBI
Karlie Smith: 2-for-4, Run, 2 RBI, HR
Ashley Cruise: 3.2 IP, 1 Hit, 0 Runs, 0 Walks, 4 Strikeouts
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Ohio Top Performers
Katie Yun: 1-for-2, RBI
Alex Day: 1-for-4, Run
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Things to Note
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Team Records
ECU: 11-16
Ohio: 9-11
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How It Happened: Katie Yun opened the scoring with a RBI single for the Bobcats in the top of the first, but the lead was short lived as freshman infielder Ashleigh Inae singled and advanced to second on a fielding error before senior infielder Meredith Burroughs crushed a 3-2 pitch over the wall in dead center to put the Pirates ahead 2-1 after one complete. Ohio tied the game up with an unearned run in the top of the third off of a sacrifice fly. Again, ECU responded right away in its half of the frame when redshirt sophomore infielder Tate McClellan was hit by a pitch and senior infielder Karlie Smith hit her second home run of the campaign to leave the Pirates with a 4-2 lead moving into the fourth inning.
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It was all ECU from that point. In the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates tacked on three more runs off three hits – including a RBI double by Inae – to pull ahead 7-2. Junior outfielder Ashley Weingartz completed the scoring by ripping a two-run double off of the wall in right center in the bottom of the sixth.
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Pitchers of Record
WP – Ashley Cruise (1-1)
LP – Danielle Steine (6-5)
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ECU Top Performers
Meredith Burroughs: 2-for-4, Run, 3 RBI, HR
Ashleigh Inae: 2-for-4, 2 Runs, RBI
Karlie Smith: 2-for-4, Run, 2 RBI, HR
Ashley Cruise: 3.2 IP, 1 Hit, 0 Runs, 0 Walks, 4 Strikeouts
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Ohio Top Performers
Katie Yun: 1-for-2, RBI
Alex Day: 1-for-4, Run
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Things to Note
- The Pirates improved to 19-9-2 against Ohio in 30 meetings with the Bobcats.
- ECU rapped out a season second-best nine runs and recorded double-digit hits for the third time this campaign.
- The Pirates hit multiple home runs in a contest for the sixth time this season.
- McClellan extended her current hitting streak to six games with a single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
- ECU was 5-for-12 (.417) with runners in scoring position and recorded four two-out RBI.
Up Next: Due to forecasted inclement weather, ECU will take on Stony Brook Saturday at 2 p.m. to continue the JMU Invitational. The Pirates will then face Stony Brook again Sunday at 8:30 a.m. before wrapping up the event at 12:30 p.m. against JMU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cruise, Ashley (1-1)
L: STIENE, D. (6-5)
Batting:
RBI: YUN, K. 1
SH: RICE, B. 1
SF: YUN, K. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DAY, A. 1 ; COOPER, M. 1
SB: BRUNSWICK, M 1
HBP: RICE, B. 1

Batting:
2B: King, Tyler 1 ; Inae, Ashleigh 1 ; Weingartz, Ashley 1
HR: Burroughs, Meredith 1 ; Smith, Karlie 1
RBI: Inae, Ashleigh 1 ; Burroughs, Meredith 3 ; Weingartz, Ashley 2 ; Smith, Karlie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: King, Tyler 1 ; Inae, Ashleigh 2 ; Burroughs, Meredith 1 ; Elwin, Caelyn 1 ; McClellan, Tate 1 ; Umphlett, Abigail 1 ; Mycek, Alex 1 ; Smith, Karlie 1
HBP: McClellan, Tate 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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