Spring Break
URI softball defeats Providence, splits doubleheader against Quinnipiac U
Matt Swiss
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Sports
04/17/09 - The University of Rhode Island softball team won its fourth game in just five tries yesterday, after defeating in-state rival Providence College, 7-6. The win followed a doubleheader against Quinnipiac University, in which the Rams split the two game series, winning 6-2 before falling 2-1.
"They hustle in and out off the field," head coach Erin Layton said. "All of these things help keep the tempo in our game, and our game is a lot of fun to play when we're hitting the ball, running the bases, getting dirty and making the spectacular plays."
In Rhode Island's win against Quinnipiac, the Rams were led offensively by junior third baseman Darci Borden, who finished the game with three hits, three runs batted in and one run scored. Borden got the Rams started early with a first inning three run homerun. Rhody scored one more run in the first and a pair in the second, holding off Quinnipiac for a 6-2 victory.
"It is very important [to score early]," Layton said. "If you were to ask our pitchers at the beginning of the year, they'll tell you that they've been waiting for our offense to explode."
The six runs scored by Rhode Island on Wednesday, combined with the 17 runs the team scored in a doubleheader against Hartford on Tuesday, marked the most amount of runs the Rams have scored in any three-game stretch all season.
"We made a huge change," Layton said. "We started to swing bats that the kids were more comfortable with. Hitting is so much mental but now they're swinging something that they're comfortable with. Now that we're hitting the ball, we can compete with anybody."
Freshman Alison Hartzell picked up her seventh win of the season, throwing six shutout innings, allowing just three hits while walking just one batter.
"Alison has done a great job for us," Layton said, "and the thing about her is she's not the biggest kid in the world. When we call on her, she does a great job keeping her composure and I give her a lot of credit, because although she's in her freshman year, she has the maturity of a sophomore or a junior."
"They hustle in and out off the field," head coach Erin Layton said. "All of these things help keep the tempo in our game, and our game is a lot of fun to play when we're hitting the ball, running the bases, getting dirty and making the spectacular plays."
In Rhode Island's win against Quinnipiac, the Rams were led offensively by junior third baseman Darci Borden, who finished the game with three hits, three runs batted in and one run scored. Borden got the Rams started early with a first inning three run homerun. Rhody scored one more run in the first and a pair in the second, holding off Quinnipiac for a 6-2 victory.
"It is very important [to score early]," Layton said. "If you were to ask our pitchers at the beginning of the year, they'll tell you that they've been waiting for our offense to explode."
The six runs scored by Rhode Island on Wednesday, combined with the 17 runs the team scored in a doubleheader against Hartford on Tuesday, marked the most amount of runs the Rams have scored in any three-game stretch all season.
"We made a huge change," Layton said. "We started to swing bats that the kids were more comfortable with. Hitting is so much mental but now they're swinging something that they're comfortable with. Now that we're hitting the ball, we can compete with anybody."
Freshman Alison Hartzell picked up her seventh win of the season, throwing six shutout innings, allowing just three hits while walking just one batter.
"Alison has done a great job for us," Layton said, "and the thing about her is she's not the biggest kid in the world. When we call on her, she does a great job keeping her composure and I give her a lot of credit, because although she's in her freshman year, she has the maturity of a sophomore or a junior."
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