CLERMONT, Fla. - The Capital softball team started off the 2009 season with a pair of victories on Monday. CU beat Hanover, 6-0 in the opener before outlasting Davenport, 5-4 in an eight-inning contest to close out the day.
During the first game on Monday, Capital tallied eight hits while scoring six runs in support of starting pitcher Brittany Stefano (Uniontown, Ohio/Uniontown Lake HS). The junior had three hits of her own including an RBI double in the first inning and two other singles to go along with a run scored at the plate. In the circle, Stefano tallied 13 strikeouts and surrendered just two hits and two walks in the shutout victory.
Freshman Christa Alvich (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman HS) had a busy collegiate debut as she drew a leadoff walk to begin the game followed by a stolen base and then scored in the top of the first inning. She also singled to reach base twice overall and touched home plate both times.
Junior Liz Dumas (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial HS) drove in a run and scored another while sophomore Sarah Finkel (Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Bishop Ready HS) had a single, stolen base and a run scored for the Crusaders.
Capital then faced the task of taking on an emotionally charged squad from Davenport University that was playing its first ever game in school history. CU began quickly with two runs in the first and one each in the second and third to build a 4-0 advantage.
Alvich began the first inning once again with a walk and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kaleen Keitch (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North HS). Sophomore Ashley Daugherty (Reynoldburg, Ohio/Pickerington Central HS) followed with an RBI double to send home Alvich from second base. Then Dumas singled to right field which sent Daugherty to third on the next at bat. After Dumas stole second base, Reimer hit an RBI groundball to third base and Capital had a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Michelle Greenawalt (Houston, Pa./Houston Chartiers HS) made her Crusader debut in the circle for Capital and helped to protect her 2-0 lead when she stepped to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. She was hit by a pitch to begin the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After another groundout, Alvich ripped an RBI triple to centerfield and CU was up 3-0.
Capital took a 4-0 lead in the third inning when freshman Brooklyn Cox (Vandalia, Ohio/Vandalia Butler HS) drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs, but Davenport would recover with three runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth to send the game into extra innings.
After the Panthers were retired in order during the top of the eighth inning, Capital placed a runner on second base and used a groundout to move its runner into scoring position with two outs. Dumas then stepped to the plate and hit an RBI single to right field that gave the Crusaders a 5-4 victory.