#3 UW-Eau Claire 8, #6 Ithaca 0

Ross Pitches Complete Game Shutout

May 16, 2008

 

SALEM, Va. --- The game was paced in the circle by UW- Eau Claire's Jenny Ross, who picked up her twenty-fourth win on the season.  Ross pitched a complete six-inning shutout and allowed just three hits.

 

 UW-Eau Claire came out of the dugout in the first inning on a mission and scored five quick runs and never looked back.  The first run was scored on a Michelle Butkus single.  The second and third runs followed when Jenny Ross drove a single into left field.  Next, Kristi Doucette pushed a single into right field allowing for the fifth score of the inning, giving UW-Eau Claire a 5-0 lead. 

 

"We had a little bit of momentum carry over from regionals and we came out real aggressive at the plate and even though we didn’t have a lot of hits until later on in the game," said Leslie Huntington, Head Coach of UW-Eau Claire, "We had some things happen and scored quite a few runs to start the game and once Jenny gets a few runs while in the circle she is hard to beat."

 

The Bluegolds scored again in the fourth frame when Tamara Zeman slapped a single to left field, driving in one base runner.  UW-Eau Claire finished the game an inning early when Casey Leisgang drilled a single to center field, making the score 8-0 after two runners came home.

 

Ithaca was lead offensively by Erica Cutspec who went 2-for-3 at the plate.  Carly Myers pitched six innings and allowed four hits and six runs.  The Bombers found their rhythm after the first inning, but could not find the offense to answer the Bluegolds.

 

“After a game like that we talk about what we need to do to get back on track, so its more of an active plan to get back on track and work on stuff that we didn’t do well today," said Deb Pallozi, Head Coach of Ithaca.

 

UW-Eau Claire, now 33-11 on the season, advances to take on the winner of the #2 Lynchburg College and #7 Muskingum College game in Game 8 on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.  Ithaca College, now 34-11, will take on the loser of the match-up previously mentioned in Game 6 on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.