Feb. 28, 2001
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Veronica Giddens threw 6.0 shutout innings and Riley Garcia had two hits Wednesday to lead Western Kentucky University to a 3-0 softball victory over Evansville in the first game of a doubleheader at WKU Softball Field.
The Aces (7-3) came back to defeat Western, 4-3, in the second game, handing the Hilltoppers (2-1) their first loss of the year. WKU's win in the opener was it first in five games with UE -- the Aces lead the all-time series 3-1-1.
Giddens, making her first appearance on the mound this season, got out of bases-loaded jams in the second, third and fifth innings. She gave up six hits and walked three while fanning two. Allison Silver got three outs around a hit batter to pick up her first save of the season. It was the first combined shutout ever for Western.
The Hilltoppers got on the board in the bottom of the first in the opener. Jessie Richardson led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice by Melissa Gomes. After an infield out and walk to Shanon Searle, Sara Alan?s singled to right to plate Richardson.
Gomes reached base on a one-out triple in the third and scored on a single from Searle to give the Toppers a 2-0 lead after three, then Western added another insurance run in the fourth on Garcia's RBI double, which plated Kristalyn Smith from second.
Jamie Davison and Nicole Chatman had two hits apiece to lead the Aces in the first contest, but UE stranded 13 runners.
Maggie Ross (2-2) -- who shutout the Toppers both times she faced WKU last season -- took the loss. She gave up three runs (all earned) on six hits and two walks, with three strikeouts, in 3.1 innings. Joni Woods hurled 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to close out the game for UE.
The Aces rebounded to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game two. Haven Shank walked with one out and stole second before Jessica Huff cleared the left-center field fence for her first home run of the season.
Western answered with a pair of runs in the third. Gomes doubled to lead off with one out, then Giddens and Searle drew walks to load the bases. Lissa Conn retired Alan?s, but Cassie Palmer singled off third baseman Trish Wetzel to bring home two runs -- Searle was thrown out at third base to end the inning.
UE took the lead for good with two more runs in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. Natalie Heldt led off with a walk and moved to third when Samantha Doner's sacrifice bunt was fielded and thrown into right field by Angela Dunhour, giving the Aces runners on second and third. Western starter Katie Swertfager retired Chatman, but Woods pinch-hit and brought home pinch-runner Tyanne Fries to give UE a 3-2 lead. Sarah Hahn, pinch-running for Doner, scored two batters later when Huff reached on an error.
Gomes singled to lead off the fifth, stole second and advanced to third on a Huff throwing error, then scored when Giddens hit a sacrifice fly to right. Searle singled to knock Conn out of the game, but Woods retired Alan?s and Palmer to end the threat.
Conn allowed four hits and five walks with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings to improve to 4-0. The runs were the first she has given up this season. Woods allowed just one baserunner, striking out four, in 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the Aces' first save of the season.
Davison, Doner and Huff each had two hits in the nightcap to lead the Aces. Gomes was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs for the Hilltoppers.
Swertfager (0-1) gave up four runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks to take the loss. She fanned two.
Western takes to the road for the first time this season when the Hilltoppers play five games at the Southeast Softball Classic, hosted by Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, Mo., Saturday and Sunday. WKU opens the event against Illinois-Chicago at 10 a.m. (CST) Saturday.
-- WKU --
