Sagartz No-Hits Plattsburgh in Washington U. Win

Fieser’s Six RBI Spearhead Offensive Effort

May 18, 2007  -  Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- Washington University-St. Louis (33-5) starting pitcher Laurel Sagartz tossed a no-hitter to help the Bears defeat Plattsburgh State University (35-13) by an 8-0 score in the final game of day one at the 2007 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.  Washington University moves on to face the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday in the winners’ bracket.  Plattsburgh State will square off with Rhode Island College at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Sagartz allowed only two baserunners on the way to improving to 24-1 on the season.  She struck out nine in the shortened five-inning affair, lowering her earned run average to 0.29, the nation’s best mark.

When asked how she felt in the circle, Sargartz credited her team for the help.  “It was more ‘I could feel we were playing our game and so it was just a lot of fun to be out there.’”

Megan Fieser supplied the Bears with all the offense they would need with a three-run homer in the second inning.  After Sagartz walked and Amy Vukovich reached on a throwing error by the shortstop that would have ended the inning, Fieser made the extra-out stand up with shot that just cleared the fence in right field.

“I thought it was key to get the first game under our belt today,” said Washington University head coach Leticia Pineda Boutte.  “I thought we overcame [some early jitters] after we scored.  After Megan’s homerun, we kind of settled down a little bit and got back to our game.”

Washington U. added four more runs in the third inning.  Jamie Kressel tripled home Carter Malouf with a lazy fly that fell between the left and center fielders.  Vukovich pulled a fastball down the first-base line for a two-out single to bring in Kressel.  Fieser followed with a two-run single to left to drive in Laura D’Andrea and Lindsay Cavarra.

The Bears tacked on the final run in the bottom of the fifth.  After D’Andrea reached on an error and then stole second, Fieser hit a grounder right back at the pitcher that eluded the Cardinals’ hurler for a run-scoring single to short.

Fieser finished the day 3-for-3 with six runs batted in.  Kressel picked up two hits and Vukovich recorded the remaining single.

Stephanie Zweig took the loss for Plattsburgh.  She threw 2.2 innings, allowing only three earned runs (six total) while fanning six.

“Sometimes it’s hard to look yourself in the mirror when you know you came out and gave it your all and you look up and it’s 8-0,” explained Plattsburgh State head coach Sean Cotter.  “But tomorrow begins a quest out of the loser’s bracket, where I really believe that this team could come back and face Wash U. on down the line.”