By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Myrtle Beach, SC---Sophomore pitcher Ashlyn Michalak continued her dominant start, while Michelle Hollister and Sydney Barron delivered key extra base hits as the Express defeated CCBC-Catonsville 8-0 in six innings today.
Michalak (2-0) fanned the side to open the game and finished with 10 strikeouts in six innings. She allowed only four hits as no CCBC runners even reached third base.
While Michalak was shutting down the CCBC offense, Hollister was making sure she had enough run support. The sophomore second baseman finished 2-for-2 with a walk, three runs scored and three RBIs.
The game was scoreless until the third when the Express plated three runs. Hollister walked with one out. Mareshah Scott then reached on a throwing error. Following that, with Hollister on third and Scott on second, Tabitha Britt singled on a bunt to drive in Hollister.
Barron then delivered a shot to deep left field for a double that scored Scott and Britt to put Owens up 3-0.
In the fourth, Owens added three more. Melanie Iacoangeli walked and stole second to lead off the inning. Hallie Thompson then singled on a bunt as Iacoangeli moved to third. After Thompson stole second, Hollister hit a three run homer to right center that put the Express up 6-0.
Owens added two more insurance runs in the sixth inning with a two-out rally. Hollister singled through the left side, Scott singled to left field, and Britt reached on a throwing error that plated Hollister and Scott.
The Express totaled six hits and three walks on the day, while stealing five bases.
Samantha Lang went the first three plus innings for CCBC and took the loss. She exited the game following Hollister's home run after allowing a total of four hits, six runs (five earned) and three walks with three strikeouts. Lang did, however, lead CCBC offensively as she went 2-for-3 at the plate.
CCBC's biggest offensive threat of the day came in the bottom half of the third inning. Ashley Deltuva singled to lead off. Two batters later, Lang singled to right field, but Iacoangeli fielded the ball in right and hit Hollister on a relay throw, who then threw to Thompson at short to get Deltuva, who had rounded second base too far. Michalak got the next batter on a strikeout to end the inning.
The only other time a CCBC runner reached second was in the second inning when Eleni Wright singled off Michalak with one out, but was stranded at second.
Michalak now has a 0.44 ERA this year with 35 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. She has allowed only seven hits, one walk, and one earned run thus far. Only two of the seven hits were of the extra base variety.
Hollister and Scott are each hitting .500 through five games. Those two have accounted for 15 runs, 13 hits, two doubles, one home run, six RBIs and 18 total bases.
The Express (5-0) will now take on Monroe College (NY) and Penn Valley CC tomorrow beginning at 9 a.m.