FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-8-06

College Softball: AASU 9 (5 inn.)-6, Tampa 0-1

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Amber Hunt delivered two home runs in game two and drove in all six and freshman Courtney Tucker hurled a complete-game victory in her first collegiate home start as Armstrong Atlantic State swept a doubleheader from visiting Tampa, 9-0 and 6-1, on Wednesday afternoon at the AASU Softball Field.

The Pirates (13-7) cruised to a 9-0 shutout win in five innings in game one, scoring five times in the bottom of the first and four times in the bottom of the fourth. Rachel Koening-Eng had two hits and scored twice, then hurled five innings of five-hit shutout ball to improve to 7-3 on the season with the victory. Tampa’s Niki Trowell did not retire a batter in the first, taking the loss by giving up two hits, two walks and four runs.

In the second game, junior Amber Hunt put the Pirates on the board with a two-run home run in the first inning off of Tampa (7-10) starter Devlin Dougherty. The Spartans clawed back with a run in the top of the third as Sam Becker’s RBI double drove in Michele Horan, but Becker strayed too far away from first and was thrown out 7-5-6 to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Hunt again strode to the plate, this time with the bases loaded and two out. On a 3-2 pitch, Hunt hit a blast that cleared the scoreboard in left center field, driving in four with the grand slam home run and putting the game out of reach. That was plenty for freshman Courtney Tucker (2-1), who scattered six hits and gave up just one run while striking out three for the complete-game victory in her first-ever home start for the Pirates. Dougherty took the loss for the Spartans, giving up seven hits and all six runs in six innings pitched.

Hunt finished the doubleheader 3-for-4 with eight RBI on two home runs and a double. Kelly Glover led the Spartans at the plate with three hits in the double dip.

AASU is next in action this weekend at the FMU Patriot Invitational in Florence, S.C. The Pirates face Clarion on Friday, March 10, at 4:00 p.m. in its first action.

- Pirates -