April 24, 2007

Game 1 Stats | Game 2 Stats

MEMPHIS--Sophomore pitcher Nikki Dunn (Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS) struck out 21 batters in 11 innings of work Tuesday afternoon as the Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs swept a non-conference doubleheader from Lambuth, winning 8-1 and 4-3 in eight innings.

Dunn (12-11) fanned 16 of the 22 batters she faced in the first game as she only allowed two baserunners to reach base.  16 strikeouts is a new CBU school record for a seven-inning game.  Dunn struck out 17 in a nine-inning game against Central Arkansas last season.

The Lady Bucs (16-23) scored all they would need in the bottom of the first inning. Meagan Shackleford (Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS) led off with a single. Dunn beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt for a single, and a throwing error moved Shackleford up to third base. A successful double-steal put the Lady Bucs on the board, and Sammy Maness (Gallatin, Tenn./Gallatin HS) singled Dunn in to put CBU ahead 2-0.

The Lady Bucs tacked on another run in the second and third innings to take a 4-0 lead before Dunn faced trouble for the only time in the game. Lambuth (10-30) leadoff hitter Krystal Navarro reached on a three-base throwing error, and Kylene Etzel singled to right to put the Eagles on the board. Dunn forced a double play to erase the next runner, and she struck out nine of the final ten batters in the game, with the only ball in play coming on a bunt groundout.

Maness and Kallie McFatter (Mansfield, Texas/Summit HS) had two hits each for the Lady Bucs in the first game.

In the second game, CBU's other sophomore pitcher, McFatter, tossed four innings while allowing only one run, on an Etzel homer. McFatter helped her own cause in the fourth as she ripped an RBI double to left center, tying the game at one.

Neither team scored again until the eighth inning, when the international tiebreaker rule was put in place. Navarro started the eighth on second base, and after a wild pitch, she scored on a Paige Pyburn grounder. The attempt to throw Navarro out at the plate sailed wide, allowing Pyburn to advance to second, and she scored on a Tootie Owen double, putting Lambuth ahead 3-1.

Dunn started the CBU half of the eighth on second base, and she scored on back-to-back singles by Lauren Zavelli (Bartlett, Tenn./St. Agnes Academy) and Maness. Michelle Paul (Arlington, Texas/Mansfield Summit HS) singled up the middle to bring Zavelli home, and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Freshman Julie Ristich (Memphis, Tenn./White Station HS) hit a fly ball to shallow left field. The ball was dropped, allowing Maness to score as Lambuth forced Paul out at third base.

Dunn tossed four innings of relief, allowing two runs, one earned, on one hit. She struck out five as she earned the victory. Maness and Shackleford each went 2-for-3 to pace the Lady Bucs' offense.

The Lady Bucs' non-conference schedule is now completed. They will finish their season with a four-game series against Ouachita Baptist. The first doubleheader will be at Bland Field Thursday at 2 p.m., while they travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., for the second doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.