April 30, 2000

2000 Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Championships

GAME FIVE

Virginia 4, Florida State 2

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The No. 4 seeded Virginia Cavaliers advanced to the possible championship game with a 4-2 win over the third-seeded Florida State Lady Seminoles Sunday afternoon at the FSU Softball Complex. The Cavaliers, who improve to 27-34 on the season, advanced to game 8 Monday at 1:00 pm as FSU (41-25) will play the winner of game 6 between North Carolina and Maryland Monday at 11:00am.

The two teams remained scoreless until the fourth inning when the Cavaliers scored twice. FSU pitcher Leslie Malerich walked in sophomore Kristen Dennis, who reached on a fielder's choice before senior Karen Breshears came home on a single to left field from sophomore Kelly McCabe to give Virginia the 2-0 lead. The Cavaliers added two more in the fifth, scoring of a double to right field from freshman Ruby Rojas and a single to right field from senior Corinne Good.

The Lady Seminoles put two runs on the board in the sixth inning to cut the lead in half. Sophomore Becky Brock led off the inning getting on base off a Cavalier error before junior Staci Brandon knocked Brock in off a single to center field. Junior Serita Brooks drove a single to left field and was sacrificed over by sophomore Kimmy Carter before scoring off a Cavalier error. FSU held the Cavaliers in the top of the seventh and had runners on second and third but no one crossed the plate, giving UVA the 4-2 win.

"It was a huge advantage to win this game," UVA Head Coach Cheryl Sprangel said. "We were in this spot the last two years and we knew how important today's game was. We have six seniors who have been here the past two years and they want it really bad."

Rojas led the Cavaliers, going 2-3 from the plate with an RBI and a double. Good added two RBI's and was 1-2 from the plate with McCabe adding an RBI. Breshears, Stephanie Calhoun, Johanna Kaiser and Amy Peay all added hits with Kaiser hitting her fifth double of the season. On the mound for Virginia, Chrissy Quinn got the complete game win, giving up only two unearned runs and striking out eight Lady Seminoles.

Brooks led the Lady Seminoles with a 2-3 showing from the plate including a double, her fourth of the season. Brandon had the lone RBI for FSU as Becky Wallace and Andi Lyons both added hits. Malerich, who made her 48th appearance of the season, went five innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out six batters. Jen White-Stokes completed the game, going two innings and throwing one strikeout.

"(UVA pitcher) Quinn was mixing up speeds well which got us thinking too much at the plate," FSU Head Coach Dr. JoAnne Graf said. "By the time we started hitting her, it was too late. We expect a long day tomorrow. If we play well and start off strong, we'll be okay."

GAME FIVE      123   456   7   R   H   E
Virginia       000   220   0   4   8   2
Florida State  000   002   0   2   5   2

WP: Chrissy Quinn (12-11)
LP: Leslie Malerich (27-14)