WINTER PARK, Fla.—The 13th-ranked Barry Buccaneers split a doubleheader with the top-ranked Alabama-Huntsville Chargers at Rollins’ Lake Island Park on Saturday. The Chargers took the first game 8-0 in six innings, but the Bucs bounced back to take the nightcap 3-2.
Alexis Yohe (7-1) scattered nine hits and a walk and struck out seven to earn the win for the Bucs. Alyssa Goldsmith had a single, double and scored twice, while pinch hitter Brianna Smith delivered the game-winning RBI.
Goldsmith got the Bucs (17-4) on board in the first inning. She singled, moved up to third on a pair of wild pitches by Charger starter Whitney Gilbert (3-1) and come home on an RBI single by Jessica Tabor.
Huntsville evened the game in the third inning. Mary Kelley walked and Stephanie Needham smacked an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1.
In the fourth, Barry pushed across two runs to take the lead for good. Goldsmith led off with a double and went to third on a passed ball. Julie Brito drove her in with a single up the middle. Brito came home on Smith’s single, which proved to be the game winner.
Yohe worked out of two big jams in the fifth and sixth, only surrendering one run. In the fifth, Kelli Long doubled with one out and Kelley followed with a base hit to put runners at the corners. Kelley was thrown out by Bucs’ catcher Kayla Monroy trying to steal, just before Needham ripped a single to score Long. Yohe fanned Abby MacKay to end the threat.
In the sixth, Courtney NcNett doubled to lead off the frame and Ashley Bryant came in to run. Kathryn Whitlock singled to move Bryant to third. But with runners at the corners, the Chargers made another base-running gaffe. Sam Deep grounded a ball sharply back to Yohe, but Bryant broke for the plate and Yohe threw her out easily. Yohe got a ground ball and struck out Mallory McNeal to end the frame. Yohe set the top of the Charger lineup down in order in the seventh.
Smith (7-3) took the loss for Barry in game one, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits. UAH’s Kelley hit a three-run homer in the third and a walk-off two-run shot in the sixth to account for five of the Chargers’ runs.
The Bucs open Sunshine State Conference play this week, host the Florida Tech Panthers on Tuesday and Wednesday and the Saint Leo Lions on Friday and Saturday.
(03/03/12 at Winter Park, FL)
#1 Alabama-Huntsville 8, #13 Barry 0 (Game 1)
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Barry......................... 000 000 - 0 5 1 (16-4)
Alabama-Huntsville.. 230 003 - 8 9 1 (13-1)
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Pitchers: Barry - Brianna Smith and Kayla Monroy. Alabama-Huntsville - Whitney Toler and Cortney McNett.
Win-Whitney Toler(7-1) Loss-Brianna Smith(7-3) T-1:32
HR UAH - Mary Kelley 2 (4).
Weather: impeccable
Barry 3, Alabama-Huntsville 2 (Game 2)
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Alabama-Huntsville.. 001 010 0 - 2 9 1 (14-2)
Barry......................... 100 200 X - 3 8 0 (17-4)
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Pitchers: Alabama-Huntsville - Whitney Gilbert and Cortney McNett. Barry - Alexis Yohe and Kayla Monroy.
Win-Alexis Yohe(7-1) Loss-Whitney Gilbert(3-1) T-1:49 A-103