MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Barry University softball team (1-1) began the 2008 season splitting a pair of games at the third annual Barry/Nova Softball Invitational hosted at Buccaneer Field. The Bucs defeated the Lynn Fighting Knights 7-0 in the season-opener, but fell 3-2 to the 15th-ranked Valdosta State Blazers in the nightcap.
Newcomer and Ashley Likens led the Buccaneers offensively going four-for-eight in the two-game stretch. The All-American junior college transfer from Arizona Western also added two doubles and drove in four runs. Natalie Heeley led the team with a .667 batting average going four-for-six at the plate and added a stolen base.
In their first game of the season, the Bucs jumped on the board early and often scoring three runs in the first and four in the second for a 7-0 lead. Lynn’s change of pitchers in the third managed to slow down the Barry offense, but the Buccaneers held on for the 7-0 shutout.
The Bucs collected 10 hits in the win, while the Knights managed only five. Likens was three-for-four with a double and three RBI to lead the Bucs, while Amanda Goelz was two-for-four and drove in a pair of runs.
Amber Havnar (0-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in 2.1 innings to suffer the Lynn loss. Megan Young (1-0) received the starting nod and struck out six in four innings with two hits to pick up the win. Amber Jack combined on the shutout hurling three innings of scoreless ball to earn the save.
In the nightcap, Valdosta State jumped on the board first after a solo home run by Kristina Ely, but the Bucs countered in the top of the fourth when Brittany Anderson drove in the tying score with an RBI single to left field.
With the score tied, the Blazers’ Robin Williams and Ely drove in single runs to regain a 3-1 advantage. Likens tried to stir up a comeback in the seventh with an RBI double that narrowed the game to 3-2, but the effort came up short in the loss.
Ely was two-for-three with a homer and two RBI to lead the Blazers, while Andi Braswell added three hits and Alex Acosta followed with two. Heeley led the Bucs with a pair of hits in the nightcap.
Jack got the starting nod from the circle and tossed five innings of one-run ball and struck out four, but Young (1-1) gave up two runs in relief to suffer the Barry loss. Brianna Collis (1-0) gave up two runs, eight hits and struck out one for the win.
The Buccaneers will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 2 for the second day of the Barry/Nova Softball Invitational. Barry will face 14th-ranked Alabama-Huntsville at 1:15 pm and then Florida Tech in a non-conference match-up at 3:30 pm.
Game 1
Barry 7, Lynn 0 (02/01/2008 at Miami Shores, Fla.)
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Lynn................ 000 000 0 - 0 5 1 (0-2)
Barry............... 340 000 X - 7 10 0 (1-0)
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Pitchers: Lynn - Amber Havnar; Cristie Kaufman(3). Barry - Megan Young; Amber Jack(5).
Win-Megan Young(1-0) Save-Amber Jack(1) Loss-Amber Havnar(0-1) T-1:58 A-131
Game: SB0201A
Game 2
Valdosta State 3, Barry 2 (02/01/2008 at Miami Shores, Fla.)
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Barry............... 000 100 1 - 2 8 1 (1-1)
Valdosta State...... 010 020 X - 3 9 0 (1-1)
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Pitchers: Barry - Amber Jack; Megan Young(6). Valdosta State - Brianna Collis.
Win-Brianna Collis(1-0) Loss-Megan Young(1-1) T-1:32 A-134
HR VSU - Kristina Ely (1).
Game: SB0201B