Softball Posts Two Victories on West Coast Swing; Defeats Jacksonville and Pacific

(Jacksonville boxscore)
(Pacific boxscore)

3/16/06 - Long Island arrived on the West Coast from its swing in Florida with no jet lag, picking up a pair of victories. On Thursday, the Blackbirds (8-10) posted a 1-0 win over Jacksonville and a 6-1 triumph over host Pacific.

In the first contest, LIU got all the run support they needed in the first inning from a home run by sophomore Alyssa Winslow (San Jacinto, Calif) to earn the 1-0 decision.

Blackbirds freshman Jenny Giles (7-9) earned the win, pitching a complete game shutout and allowing just four hits for the Dolphins (14-17).

Junior Holly Irwin (Riverside, Calif.) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, cracking a two-run homer and putting LIU on the board to stay versus Pacific. The Blackbirds added another run in the frame when Alissa Villanueva (Pacoima, Calif.) doubled to plate Brittany Murphy (Los Alamitos, Calif.).

LIU added a run each in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. With one out, Randi Gillespie singled to get aboard. Two batters later, a double by Murphy scored Gillespie. Senior Krystal Mejia (Sylmar, Calif.) found a gap in center field to score Murphy and push the visitors to a 5-0 edge.

They added their final tally in the sixth when Gillespie flied out to right field to sacrifice Celina Castillo. The Tigers added a run in the seventh for the final score.

The Blackbirds return to action on Friday to play in the Sacramento State Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif. They open the classic with Nevada at approximately 4:30 p.m. EST and finish the day with Iowa at 9:00 p.m. EST.