MIAMI SHORES, Fla. –
Ramie Garcia (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz.) struck out a career-best 16 batters, while
Katie Arnone (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) had the game-winning hit to lead the Barry University softball team (35-8, 16-3 SSC) to a 4-3, 13-inning win over the Saint Leo Lions (33-17, 12-7 SSC) to open the three-game Sunshine State Conference series at Buccaneer Field on Friday night.
Saint Leo took the early 1-0 lead scoring one run in the top of the second inning. Christina Van Tassel led off with a single and later scored on Heather Stroud's RBI single. With two outs in the bottom of the third, Barry managed to tie the game a 1 apiece.
Ashley Loose (Jr., Mill Creek, Wash.) hit a two-out single and
Maile Keeney (Jr., Longwood, Fla.) drove in the tying run with an RBI hit.
With the score still notched at a 1-1 tie heading into the top of the fifth, Saint Leo pulled a two-out, run scoring inning. Van Tassel plated Ali Flynn, who reached on a two-out walk, with an RBI single for the 2-1 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh,
Shyla Rider (Fr., Woodbridge, Va.) tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single to send the game into extra innings.
The game remained tied until the 10th inning when the NCAA tiebreaker rule was enforced. Van Tassel picked up her second RBI with a single that scored Ashley Urbanik giving the Lions a 3-2 lead. Loose doubled in the bottom of the same inning and plated Rider to notch the game in a 3-3 tied sending the game into additional innings.
Finally in the bottom of the 13th inning, Arnone hit the game-winning RBI single with the bases loaded to give Barry the 4-3 victory.
Barry pitcher Garcia (16-3) battled neck-and-neck with Saint Leo pitcher Katie Heintz (23-11) combining for 33 strikeouts in the game. Garcia allowed nine hits, three runs (two earned), and struck out a career-high 16 in the win for the Buccaneers, while Heintz struck out 17 in the loss for the Lions.
Saint Leo's Van Tassel went 5-for-6 at the plate to lead all batters and picked up two RBI. Loose,
Kim Fujimoto (Sr., Carmichael, Calif.), and Arnone each collected two hits each to lead Barry at the plate.
Both teams will return to action on Saturday, Apr. 22 to complete the three-game set with a 1 pm first pitch.
Barry 4, Saint Leo 3 (04/21/2006 at Miami Shores, Fla.)
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Saint Leo........... 010 010 000 100 0 - 3 9 0 (33-17, 12-7 SSC)
Barry............... 001 000 100 100 1 - 4 9 0 (35-8, 16-3 SSC)
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Pitchers: Saint Leo - Heintz. Barry - Garcia.
Win-Garcia(16-3) Loss-Heintz(23-11) T-3:40 A-144
Game: SB0421
