University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Temple
Softball Sweeps Temple, 9-1, 1-0
April 16, 2000 | Softball
April 16, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. - Freshman Kaila Holtz (North Vancouver, B.C.) pitched her first career no-hitter today, as the University of Massachusetts softball team swept Temple, 9-1, 1-0, to improve to 18-19 this season and 4-2 in the Atlantic 10.
The Owls got on the board first in game one, after Christi Ragan scored in the second inning off a RBI-single by Andrea Horton, to put Temple on top, 1-0. But the Minutewomen rallied with a four-run third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Sophomore Ashley Bakken (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored the first run off a RBI-single by junior Debbie Tomoguchi (Irvine, Calif.), who scored the next run after sophomore Teri Rooney (Visalia, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly ball to center field. Holtz then singled, driving in freshman Anna Perey (Chino Valley, Ariz.), and sophomore Cherra Wheeler (Kingsburg, Calif.) connected on a double, which advanced Holtz home for the fourth run of the inning.
And that was not the end of UMass' scoring frenzy, as freshman Emily Robustelli (Stamford, Conn.) hit her first career grand slam in the fourth inning, driving in Perey, freshman Kerri Landers (Berkeley, Mass.), junior Kiley Scofield (Murietta, Calif.) and Rooney, to put the Minutewomen ahead, 8-1. UMass would score one more run in the sixth inning to win the game, as Holtz singled, driving in Robustelli.
Junior Carrie Jeffries (Placentia, Calif.) took home the win, after striking out three batters and allowing six hits in seven innings pitched. She now stands at 4-7 this year.
The Minutewomen put forth a solid defensive effort in game two to help build the no-hitter for Holtz. Both squads were held scoreless for the first three innings, before UMass finally got on the board in the fourth, when sophomore Jen Hadley (Bristol, Conn.) hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field, which drove in Bakken to the plate for the only run of the game.
Holtz pitched all seven innings in the victory, striking out five batters, while allowing zero hits. She improves to 9-6 this season on the mound.
The Minutewomen will next travel to Harvard for a doubleheader on April 18 at 3 p.m.
