March 23, 2007

Chicago Wins Eight of 10 in Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The University of Chicago softball team posted an 8-2 record on its season-opening 10-game Florida tour.

Junior catcher Vanessa Pineros (Mukilteo, Wash./ Kamiak) and freshman outfielder Kathleen Duffy (Hoffman Estates, Ill./ Barrington) led the way offensively. Both players batted .552 with 16 hits in 29 at-bats. Pineros drove in a team-high nine runs, while Duffy clubbed a pair of home runs and collected eight RBIs.

Senior pitcher Petra Wade (Batavia, Ill./ Batavia) appeared in seven games with five starts and notched a 5-1 record with a 1.57 ERA. She fanned 32 batters in 28.2 innings with just four walks.

Albright 10, Chicago 9 (Mar. 23)
The Maroons rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, but Albright tallied in the eighth. Junior outfielder Dominique Marshall (Westerville, Ohio/ Columbus Girls) and freshman second baseman Jillian Lenson (Newton, Mass./ South) each collected two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Chicago 13, New Paltz State 1 (Mar. 23)
Freshman outfielder Lauren White (Oakland, Calf./ Bentley School) had three hits, including a triple and a home run, to go along with three RBIs as the Maroons scored a season-high 13 runs. Pineros collected six RBIs, while senior shortstop Jessica Mayhew (Plymouth, N.H./ Plymouth) went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Wade went the distance, fanning eight.

Chicago 7, Southern Maine 6 (Mar. 22)
Mayhew, Pineros, and Duffy each collected a pair of RBIs as the Maroons won in a nine-inning affair.

Chicago 7, Bowdoin 1 (Mar. 22)
Wade and fellow senior hurler Lauren Hula (East Lansing, Mich./ East Lansing) combined on the victory. Wade fanned four over four frames to notch her fourth win of the trip, while Hula tossed the final three innings en route to the save. Wade also contributed at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Duffy also drove in a pair of runs.

Hamline 5, Chicago 3 (Mar. 20)
Hamline rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to hand the Maroons their first loss of the year. Sophomore second baseman Jen Jacobson (Schaumburg, Ill./ Conant) and Duffy each went 2-for-3. Wade took the loss, her first of the season.

Chicago 4, Wis.-Superior 3 (Mar. 20)
Pineros drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Wade earned the win in relief to raise her season record to 3-0.

Chicago 9, Lasell 1 (Mar. 19)
Junior outfielder Cassie Wierenga (Worth, Ill./ Shepard) collected a pair of RBIs, and Mayhew went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Wade improved to 2-0 after tossing four scoreless frames with six strikeouts.

Chicago 9, D'Youville 1 (Mar. 19)
Duffy fanned four over three innings and drove in three runs, including her first career home run. Wierenga collected a pair of RBIs, while Pineros went 2-for-4 with one RBI.

Chicago 8, Wis.-Superior 0 (Mar. 18)
Wade struck out seven batters en route to a complete-game five-inning shutout. Wierenga belted her first home run of the season, while White and freshman second baseman Jillian Lenson (Newton, Mass./ South) each went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Chicago 9, Fredonia State 0 (Mar. 18)
In her collegiate debut, White notched a complete-game shutout as she fanned eight batters over five innings. Lenson collected three RBIs, while Wierenga and junior outfielder Dominique Marshall (Westerville, Ohio/ Columbus Girls) each drove in a pair of runs.