University of St. Thomas Athletics
St. Catherine
Carpentier, Bye power Softball to sweep
4/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Senior Anne Carpentier drove in the game-winning runs in each game, including a grand slam in the opener, to lead No. 4-ranked St. Thomas to a 7-1, 1-0 softball sweep of visiting St. Catherine in MIAC play Wednesday at UST's South Field.
Despite being pushed in each game, the Tommies (33-3 overall, 18-0) clinched a share of the MIAC championship and secured the No. 1 playoff seed. They also ran their conference winning streak to 50, their season win streak to 18 and their home win streak to 35. UST can win its fifth consecutive outright MIAC softball title with one victory in its remaining four games.
Senior Maria Bye went 4-for-4 on the day, with her 34th career homer, plus a sacrifice fly. Bye also threw a two-hit shutout in game two and improved her career pitching record to 80-8 (40-1 MIAC). Marta Radcliffe worked 6 2-3 innings in game one and improved her MIAC record to 9-0 as she allowed one run, four hits and five walks with seven strikeouts.
Trailing 1-0 in game one, the Wildcats loaded the bases in the fourth inning with none out on two walks and a hit batter. After a strikeout, Radcliffe walked in the tying run, but got two more strikeouts to end the threat.
In the Tommie fourth inning, two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and Carpentier stroked her first career grand slam for a 5-1 lead. Betker and Carpentier each had two hits and Bye had a homer, sacrifice fly and was hit by pitch.
In game two, Carpentier's fourth-inning sacrifice fly put UST ahead 1-0. The Toms stranded seven runners and had another tagged out at home plate. Bye went 3-for-3, and Colleen Owen and Olivia Graham each had two hits.
Bye retired 14 in a row in one stretch. She hit a batter to lead off the seventh inning, but that potential tying run was doubled up ona 4-U-3 double play. Bye finished with no walks and eight strikeouts and pulled within 30 strikeouts of MIAC career leader Janet Nagle.
The Tommies play Saturday at St. Mary's.
Click here for Game 1 box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/sftbl/stats/4-23sbg1.htm
Click here for Game 2 box score:
