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JLFJR wrote:Thanks for your input, PA! Very helpful.
JLFJR wrote:Thanks for your input, PA! Very helpful.
Long Ball Lifts Lady Flames To 14-1 Victory Over Rhode Island.
Dawn Jeffs hit two of Liberty's six home runs in a 14-1 victory over Rhode Island Saturday morning.
March 3, 2007
Chapel Hll, N.C.
The Lady Flames hit six home runs, including three straight in an eight-run seventh inning, en route to a 14-1 victory over Rhode Island, Saturday morning, at the Tar Heel Invitational.
Neither team could muster much of an offensive threat as the two teams combined for three hits over the first four innings of action.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when Shannon McKain started the long-ball hitting contest with a solo home run to left field.
Two batters later, leadoff hitter Dawn Jeffs hit her first of two home runs in the game, connecting on a two-run homer to right-center field, while a pair of errors and a pair of walks forced in J’nae Jefferson to give Liberty a 4-0 edge.
The Lady Flames continued to add to their lead in the top of the sixth inning as Jessica Leary reached base on a fielder’s choice, setting the stage for Jeffs to connect on her second rounder tripper of the day, this time over the fence in left-center field, giving Liberty a 6-0 lead.
The Lady Flames put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning as they scored eight runs on four hits, with three of the hits being home runs. Jefferson started the scoring outburst in grand fashion as her first collegiate home run was of the grand slam variety, with a four-run blast over the fence in left-center field.
Jessica Moore kept things rolling for the Lady Flames with a solo homer to right-center field, followed by a round tripper off the bat of Ashley Williams to left-center field, to give Liberty its third-straight home run and sixth of the contest.
Lost in the offensive outbreak was a stellar pitching performance by Dana Wheeler, who picked up her first collegiate victory in the first start of her career. The freshman allowed just one run, a solo homer in the seventh inning, five hits and fanned four in the complete-game victory.
Jeffs led the team from the plate as she was 2-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, followed by Shannon McKain who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI.
The Lady Flames will take on Marshall, starting at approximately 12:30 p.m., with the victor advancing to the championship game tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Thundering Herd Advances To Championship Game With Victory Over Liberty
J'nae Jefferson was a perfect 3-for-3 in Liberty's game against Marshall at the Tar Heel Invitational.
March 3, 2007
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Marshall took advance of two Liberty errors to plate single runs in the second and third and then put the game away with a three-run fifth en route to a 5-0 win over Liberty, Saturday afternoon, to conclude both team’s pool play action at the Tar Heel Invitational.
With the split on the day, the Lady Flames raise their season-to-date record to 7-4, with the lost to Marshall snapping Liberty’s three-game winning streak. The Lady Flames finish pool play with a 2-1 record and will square off against a yet-to-be determined opponent in the third-place game tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
In the second game, the Thundering Herd took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Marshall capitalized on a Liberty error. Gina Guzzo singled through the left side of the infield and three batters later, Rachel Schmidt singled to right. But the ball was mishandled by Jessica Leary, allowing Guzzo to round third and score the game’s first run.
Another error led to Marshall’s second run in the top of the third inning as Joscelyn Bitner led off the frame by reaching on a fielding error by Michelle Fridey at third base. After stealing second and moving to third on a sacrifice bunt, Bitner scored on Rachel Folden’s RBI base hit through the middle, to give Marshall a 2-0 lead.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth inning when Guzzo singled back up the middle, driving in Folden and Samantha Rodriguez. After Rachael Sofie put runners at the corners with an infield single, a groundout by Caitlyn Jackson allowed Guzzo to score, giving the Thundering Herd all the runs they would need.
Abigail Harter held the Lady Flames’ offense, which averaged over 10 runs its first three games at Chapel Hill, in check as she scattered eight hits over seven innings of work, while fanning three batters to up her record to 6-3 on the year.
Sarah Swor suffered the loss as the senior was roughed up for five runs, three of which were earned, on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings of work, before Sarah Ellis finished off the final 2 2/3 innings by allowing just one hit and striking out two.
J’nae Jefferson led the Lady Flames from the plate as the freshman was a perfect 3-for-3, followed by Ashley Williams who was 2-for-3. Dawn Jeffs (1-for-4) and Jessica Moore (1-for-3) both collected hits during the contest, pushing both their hitting streaks to eight-straight games.
JLFJR wrote:Thanks for your input, PA! Very helpful.
Lady Flames Take Third Place At Tar Heel Invitational With Victory Over Rutgers
Beth Bennett hit one of Liberty's two three-run home runs in the Lady Flames' 7-3 victory over Rutgers.
March 4, 2007
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Beth Bennett and Dawn Jeffs both hit three-run home runs, helping Liberty claim a 7-3 victory over Rutgers, Sunday afternoon, allowing the Lady Flames to claim third place at the Tar Heel Invitational.
With the victory, the Lady Flames raise their overall record to 8-4, marking the third-best start in the program’s history. Liberty opened 2006 with a 10-4 record and the 1996 squad started the year by winning 17 of its first 21 games.
The Lady Flames jumped out on top in the second inning as Liberty plated three runs thanks to four hits during the frame. Courtney Johnson got things started with a single which clipped the glove of Shantai Dixon at third base, followed by a walk issued to Jessica Leary.
Dawn Jeffs provided Liberty with its first lead of the day as the second baseman connected on a three-run homer over the fence in right field, marking her third round tripper of the tournament and fourth of the season, to give Liberty a 3-0 edge.
Rutgers cut into Liberty’s advantage in the top of the fourth inning, starting with a leadoff walk issued to Amanda Shaw. After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, Shaw scored on a double to the gap in left-center field by Sarah Kalka.
The Scarlet Knights kept things rolling as Rutgers took advantage of a few Liberty miscues. The inning was kept alive by a two-out fielding error, with Kalka advancing to third, followed by a wild pitch which allowed Kalka to score and cut Liberty’s lead to 3-2.
The long ball continued to play a factor for Liberty as the Lady Flames plated three more runs thanks to another three-run homer in the fourth inning.
Jeffs got the inning started by legging out an infield single, followed by a base knock through the left side of the infield by Jessica Moore. Two batters later, Beth Bennett hit her third home run of the year and Liberty’s 11th of the weekend, sending a three-run homer well over the fence in left field to push Liberty’s lead to 6-2.
The Lady Flames added an insurance run in the sixth inning as J’nae Jefferson led off the frame with a double off the wall down the left-field line and later scored on a wild pitch, giving Liberty its seventh and final run.
Rutgers was able to muster one more run in the top of the seventh inning as a bases-loaded walk forced in Brittany Loisel from third before Terra Lowe struck out Kristen Madoch to defuse the Scarlet Knights’ potential rally and pick up her first save of the year.
Jeffs and Moore led the Lady Flames from the plate as the pair of seniors were each 3-for-4, extending both of their hitting streaks to nine-straight games.
Sarah Ellis upped her record to a team-best 4-1 as the sophomore allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on four hits and six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of work.
The Lady Flames will leave the continental United States for the first time in program history for their next several games as they participate in a pair of Spring Break tournaments hosted by Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii. Liberty opens tournament action at the Hawaii Spring Fling against Boston College (2 p.m.) and host Hawaii (6 p.m.) on Wednesday, local time.
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