April 11, 2008
DECATUR, Ala. - In their first game in Decatur, Alabama, West Florida kicked off the GSC Crossover tournament with a big shutout win, 11-0, over Delta State University to improve to 29-17 on the season and 9-6 in the conference. With 11 runs off of 12 hits, West Florida finished the game in just five innings. Taren Walton got the start, the win, and the shutout for UWF and improved to 10-5 on the season. With 11 strikeouts on the day, Walton gave up one hit in the shutout win. Whitney Gay led the Argos at the plate in her typical fashion at Wilson Morgan Park, going 3-for-3 with a single, a double, and a homerun.
The Argos took a 2-0 lead early in the bottom of the first inning, putting two runs on the board to start the day. Whitney Gay had a big first hit with a single up the middle, which brought in pinch runner Amie McMillion. McMillion advanced to third on two wild pitches from Delta State's Kate Moreland during Taren Walton's at bat. After a walk drawn by Walton and a tough strikeout for Nicky VanCamp, designated player Jillian LaFrance came through with two outs and laced an RBI single down the right field line to score McMillion. With Walton and LaFrance on base, shortstop Caurie Miller also picked up an RBI single up the middle that scored Walton from second.
West Florida was relentless and continued to increase their lead in the second inning. Stephany Aguilar led off the inning with a walk and advanced on a Melissa Chastang sacrifice bunt. After a UWF foul out, senior second basemen Gay again took the chance to lead her team and produced an RBI double to left center field that scored Aguilar. With two outs, the Argos continued to pound out hits starting with Nicky VanCamp who had a big response after her strikeout in the first. VanCamp took her 9th homerun deep to left center field for a three run shot that scored Gay and Walton, on with a walk. Still with two outs, LaFrance hit her second single of the day to put a runner on for Miller who answered with a double that advanced pinch runner Kathryn Sheppard to third. With Franny Bell at 2nd for Miller and Sheppard at third, Julie Carroll joined the UWF bats and produced an RBI single to left center that scored both runners to increase the lead, 8-0. Delta State managed to end the inning on a fly out from West Florida, but not before the damage was done.
West Florida's bats continued to swing in the 3rd inning, proving to be a brutal force against the Delta State Lady Statesmen. With one out in the bottom of the third, Heather Bell set the pace with a single just over the heads of the DSU shortstop and third basemen. Senior Whitney Gay refused to be silenced, taking her 7th homerun of the season over the centerfield fence to score Bell for two RBIs. A single from Taren Walton and back to back walks drawn by VanCamp and LaFrance loaded the bases for Caurie Miller, who picked up an RBI with a sacrifice ground out to shortstop that scored Walton. Delta State was able to get the third out to end the inning, but West Florida again increased their lead to 11-0 which would prove to be the final round of scoring for West Florida.
Adding a hit to her statistics was Melissa Chastang who had a single for West Florida in the 4th inning. Behind Gay who was just a triple shy of hitting the cycle, Jillian LaFrance and Caurie Miller led at the plate. LaFrance was 2-for-2 with two singles and an RBI, while Miller was 2-for-3 with a single, a double and 3 RBIs.
The Argos continued GSC Crossover play in Decatur, Alabama immediately following the game against DSU with a game against West Division's Christian Brothers University.
