March 3, 2012 Contact: Scott Jamison 352.395.5616 scott.jamison@sfcollege.edu
SF FASTPITCH
SANTA FE SHUTOUTS POLK, 2-0 AND 1-0
Box Score Game 1, Box Score Game 2
Gainesville, FL – Karla Claudio Rivera and Amber Richardson combined to throw two shutouts and allow just four hits in a double header sweep of the Polk State Eagles, 2-0 and 1-0. The Saints (9-11) have shutout three straight opponents and have not allowed a run in 21 innings.
Claudio started game one and scattered four hits and struck out eight. She helped her own cause offensively, belting a two run homerun into the wind in the first inning. Those would be the only runs Claudio would need as she cruised to her fourth victory of the year with the help of a stout defense.
Paige Sandiford finished game one 2-for-4 and Claudio was 1-for-3 with a homerun and two RBI.
Game two was all Amber Richardson and the Saints defense. Richardson allowed just one hit and struck out four. The lone Eagles hit came with two outs in the seventh inning.
Polk State put runners on second and third with no outs in the top sixth inning thanks to two SF errors, but failed to produce a run. Richardson got the first out on a ground ball to short stop. The next batter rolled another one to short stop Ashley Holton who threw the runner out at first. The Eagle runner at second strayed a little too far off the bag and first baseman Erika Garcia tossed across the diamond to Bianca Torres who tagged out the runner for the third out, preserving the 0-0 tie and setting up Kimberly Booker’s heroics.
With the game still scoreless Kimberly Booker came through for SF in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch hitter Shannen Marchu led the inning off with a walk and two batters later Booker drilled a two out double to right center field for the 1-0 lead.
Richardson (3-3) nailed down the win with a strong seventh inning.
The Saints return to action on Tuesday, March 6 at St. Petersburg College. The double header is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM.
For complete schedules and more information on Saints Fastpitch, please visit www.sfcollege.edu/athletics. To see game photos and other updates, follow Santa Fe College Athletics on Facebook.
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