Blackbirds Split First Two Games of USF adidas Tampa Tournament

(Michigan State boxscore)
(Tennessee-Chattanooga boxscore)

3/8/07 -- The Long Island University softball team built an early lead and held on late for a 3-1 victory over Michigan State in the USF adidas Tampa Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. on Thursday morning.

In the second contest, Tennessee-Chattanooga shutout LIU 7-0 behind a four-hit, complete-game shutout by freshman hurler Brooke Loudermilk.

Senior Randi Gillespie (San Jose, Calif.) provided all of the offense the Blackbirds would need in the first game on a two-run home run in the first inning. She also had a single in the third and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Jessie DePippo (Westlake Village, Calif.). Sophomore Jenny Giles (Melbourne, Fla.) pitched shutout-ball through six innings before being relieved in the seventh.

Michigan State made things interesting in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with only one out. Freshman Blaire Porter (Redmond, Wash.) was called in from the bullpen and got the next batter to ground out on a comebacker that ricocheted off her leg right to second baseman Brynn Lewis (Woodinville, Wash.) who threw her out at first. Porter then struck out the Spartans’ pinch hitter to end the game.

Giles got into a jam in the first after striking out the leadoff batter. The Spartans’ Nikki Nicosia followed with a triple to right center that one-hopped the wall. The righthander got the next two batters to ground out to third to end the threat.

In the bottom of the first, a one-out error on the pitcher put a runner on for Gillespie. With a full count, she belted a high, towering fly ball that nicked the left-fielder’s glove and went over the fence. It was the first home run on the season for Gillespie and the 20th of her career.

The second game of the day saw the first two innings go scoreless before the Mocs got on the board in the bottom of the third. Alyssa Edwards had a two-out, two-run triple that proved to be all the runs that UTC would need.

LIU’s best chance came in the fifth inning with the Blackbirds down 2-0. A hit batsman and a single by junior Vanessa Mejia (Roanoke, Va.), her third of the afternoon, put runners on the corners with two outs. Loudermilk got out of the jam by getting senior Randi Gillespie (San Jose, Calif.) to foul out to the catcher.

LIU continues play at the USF adidas Tournament against No. 24 N.C. State at 11:00 a.m. The Blackbirds will also face Villanova at 4:00 p.m.