McCoy, DiMartino Lead Liberty Past Virginia, 1-0
4/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Kassidy McCoy hit a fifth-inning solo home run, and Julia DiMartino tossed a two-hit shutout as Liberty blanked Virginia, 1-0, during game one of a doubleheader at The Park, Wednesday.
The Lady Flames (24-22) posted their eighth shutout of the season, and today was the first time that Liberty shut out Virginia since an 8-0 win, May 3, 2011. Virginia's record falls to 15-29 entering tonight's second game.
DiMartino (12-10) pitched her fourth career shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out five and walking three. Her four shutouts are the most by a Liberty freshman since Ali Thompson pitched four shutouts in 2001.
Erika Osherow (12-18) drew the loss, allowing one run on six hits, with five strikeouts and one walk in the complete-game effort.
Cassie Gingerich went 2-for-3 for the Lady Flames, while McCoy batted 1-for-3 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored. Madi Clarke, Sarah Robertson and Tori Zavodny recorded one hit each.
For the Cavaliers, Danni Ingraham and Madison Labshere had one hit apiece.
The Lady Flames put two runners on to start the third inning, as Clarke drew a walk and Gingerich hit a bunt single. Alexia Taylor then lined into a double play, before a groundout ended the rally.
Ingraham gave Virginia its first baserunner, with a leadoff single in the bottom of the third. DiMartino retired the next three Cavaliers in order, keeping the game scoreless.
McCoy broke the scoreless tie, launching a leadoff homer over the center field fence in the fifth stanza. Back-to-back singles by Clarke and Gingerich put runners on the corners with one out. Osherow escaped further damage, getting a popout and a groundout.
Virginia left two runners stranded in scoring position to end the fifth, when DiMartino struck out Aimee Chapdelaine for the third out.
Robertson led off the top of the sixth inning with a single to left. She went to second on a sacrifice bunt, before a groundout sent her to third. McCoy grounded out for the third out.
DiMartino hit Allison Davis with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Davis stole second, but was left there when Katie Park grounded to third.
Virginia left the winning run on base to end the game. Miller and Ingraham drew back-to-back one-out walks in the seventh. However, Labshere popped out to short, before DiMartino sealed the shutout by striking out Chapdelaine.
Game two of today's doubleheader between Liberty and Virginia is currently under way.
