WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—As of today, every game counts! The Barry softball team began regular season play on Saturday with another doubleheader sweep of the Northwood (Fla.) Seahawks, winning game one 10-0 and game two 3-1.
Kelly Martinez gave the Bucs (2-0) the only runs they would need in the first game with a two-run homer in the second inning.
Taylor Sabol (1-0) and Britney Pugh made the runs stand up by combining to pitch a no-hitter. Sabol retired the first 10 Seahawks and finished with six strikeouts and a walk. Pugh finished out the game with two strikeouts and a walk in three innings to pick up her first save.
The flood gates opened in the fifth inning and the Bucs scored eight of their 10 runs in the last three frames. In the fifth, Julie Brito singled to lead off and pinch runner Christal Cruz swiped second. One out later, Kristina Pazienza and Alexis Kent hit back-to-back RBI doubles. Pugh capped off the frame with another two-bagger to score Kent.
In the sixth, Megan Copeland, Sarah Broeseker, and Brito hit three straight doubles to plate two more runs. Then in the seventh, Broeseker added a two-run triple and Brito had another RBI single to cap the scoring.
Kami Reinecke (0-2) took the loss, allowing just Matrinez’s homer among four hits and four walks in three innings. She struck out five.
The Bucs tied a school record with seven doubles in the game, matching the mark set against Rollins on Apr. 1, 2000 and Eckerd on Mar. 13, 2011. Their 28 total bases ranks third in school history.
Game two was a much closer affair. Broeseker scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Brito to give Barry an early lead. But the Seahawks (0-4) knotted the game at 1-1 in the second inning on some tricky base running. Kayla Steinkirchner drew a lead-off walk from Barry starter Camille Czarnecki (1-0). After a sacrifice, Chloe Labrador singled to put runners at the corners. Steinkirchner and Labrador worked a double steal, with Labrador proceeding on to third on the play.
The Bucs got back on top in the fifth inning. Kent led off with a double and was replaced by pinch runner Kate Hehre. After Hehre moved up on a ground out, Copeland dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring her home. An RBI single by Pazienza in the seventh gave the Bucs an insurance run.
Czarnecki allowed just the one run on two hits and a walk in four innings to earn the win. Alexis Yohe scattered three hits and a walk over the last three innings to pick up the save. Lauren Howard (0-2) took the loss for Northwood, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits in six innings.
For the twinbill, Brito and Broeseker each had four hits and drove in three runs.
The Bucs travel to the Eckerd College Invitational next weekend at the Eddie C. Moore Park in Clearwater, Fla.
(02/02/13 at West Palm Beach, FL)
Barry 10, Northwood (FL) 0 (Game 1)
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Barry....................... 020 032 3 - 10 16 0 (1-0)
Northwood (FL)...... 000 000 0 - 0 0 0 (0-3)
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Pitchers: Barry - Taylor Sabol; Britney Pugh(5) and Kayla Monroy. Northwood (FL) - Kami Reinecke; Macy Morgan(4) and Kayla Steinkirchner.
Win-Taylor Sabol(1-0) Save-Britney Pugh(1) Loss-Kami Reinecke(0-2) T-1:43 A-0
HR BU - Kelly Martinez (1).
Weather: dazzling
Barry 3, Northwood (FL) 1 (Game 2)
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Barry....................... 100 010 1 - 3 7 0 (2-0)
Northwood (FL)...... 010 000 0 - 1 5 1 (0-4)
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Pitchers: Barry - Camille Czarnecki; Alexis Yohe(5) and Kayla Monroy. Northwood (FL) - Laurrin Howard; Kami Reinecke(7) and Hailey Cusimano.
Win-Camille Czarnecki(1-0) Save-Alexis Yohe(1) Loss-Laurrin Howard(0-2) T-1:41 A-50
Weather: inconceivable
Howard faced 2 batters in the 7th.